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ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (APP): Chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Altaf Hussain Wani on Saturday sought the UN Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial Summary or Arbitrary Executions Morris Tidball Binz’s urgent attention towards rising incidents of custodial deaths at the hands of Indian forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
In his letter addressed to the UN special Rapporteur, the KIIR chairman said that the persistent and systematic use of custodial torture by Indian occupation forces in IIOJK violated fundamental human rights and international law, said a press release.
“Torture in custody remains a tool of coercion, used to extract forced confessions, intimidate marginalized communities, and suppress dissent”, the letter said, adding that the practice not only contravenes India’s obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) but also blatantly disregards the absolute prohibition of torture under the Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), which India has yet to ratify.
Referring to the recent killing of a tribal youth, Makhan Din, the letter stated that a 25-year-old man hailing from the Kathua district of IIOJK died by suicide after facing brutal custodial torture by IIOJK police.
The KIIR chairman said that custodial torture was not an isolated issue but an institutionalized practice enabled by draconian laws such as the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and the Unlawful Activities and Prevention Act (UAPA).
“These laws provide occupation forces with sweeping powers and blanket immunity from prosecution, fostering a climate of impunity”, he added.
He said that the psychological and physical suffering inflicted upon detainees not only results in wrongful convictions but also fuels resentment, instability, and distrust in state institutions.
Makhan Din’s case, he said, is a harrowing testament to the consequences of this unchecked brutality. “In a recorded video before his death, Makhan Din explicitly stated that he was coerced into falsely confessing to links with militants and subjected to inhumane treatment in custody”, he further added.
Makhan Din’s tragic death, he said, underscored the urgent need for accountability and human rights protections in IIOJK.
Wani urged the UN Rapporteur to use his good office and take immediate and decisive action and hold the Indian government accountable to prevent further violations and ensure accountability by launching an independent international investigation into custodial torture, coerced confessions, and extrajudicial actions by Indian occupation forces in Jammu & Kashmir.