India: CASR DEMANDS IMMEDIATE END TO REPRESSION IN KASHMIR
We hereby share a statement that we have received from Campaign Against State Repression (CASR).
CASR DEMANDS IMMEDIATE END TO UNLAWFUL DETENTIONS, TORTURES, CUSTODIAL MURDERS, AND FAKE ENCOUNTERS IN KASHMIR
On 5 February, Makhan Din, a 25-year-old young man from Billawar in Jammu and Kashmir, was subjected to custodial torture that led to his death, but the administration refuted the claim and said, “There was no custodial torture or injury. He was questioned and then got exposed, went home, and committed suicide.” Police said that Makhan attempted suicide because he exposed his link with militants as he was working as an overground worker (OWG). Later, DIG also claimed, “He (Makhan) is helping in the same group that conducted the Badnotta Army Convoy attack in July 2024.”
The administration’s version of events and claims, raised various serious questions. If police confirmed that this person was involved in a serious attack on an army convoy, why did the police allow him to go home after questioning? In Kashmir, if you are only suspected, you may be detained and slapped with charges under draconian laws like Public Security Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to ensure long incarceration without conviction. Not only this, suspicion of one’s involvement in any militant activity can become a reason for being tortured or killed by Armed forces, due to laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). This is the life of people in Kashmir. This kind of custodial torture and murder of Gujjar-Bakarwal community people is not new but a common practice of Indian Armed forces in kashmir. Last year, torture and custodial killing by armed forces happened in the same way in the name of Over Ground Workers (OGW) of militant groups.
In another incident on 5 February, a civilian truck driver, Waseem Ahmad Mir was shot dead by the army in Baramulla for allegedly speeding away from a checkpoint. This is yet another extrajudicial killing on the pretext of the aforementioned “suspicion”. On the very same day, 500 people were detained by Jammu and Kashmir police. This massive crackdown comes in the backdrop of an alleged militant attack that led to the killing of a retired military personnel and injury to his wife.
The situation in Kashmir is very serious and is worsening day by day. Human Rights violations have increased multifold since the undemocratic and arbitrary abrogation of Article 370 and 35A of the Constitution of India. The blood of the people of Kashmir runs dry in the name of “encounter with militants” without any justice to the victims of years of enforced disappearances, tortures and extra-judicial killings. Democratic protests and gatherings are being curtailed and journalists are being jailed or threatened with dire consequences if they write and amplify the reality of Brahmanical Hindutva Fascist BJP-RSS led government’s constructed notion of “normalcy in Kashmir”.
CASR demands killing immediate stop of all kinds of extrajudicial crimes done by the army and police in Kashmir and the protection of the human rights of Kashmiri people. We also urged all progressive and democratic organisations and individuals to raise their voices against fake encounters, extrajudicial killings, and torture that are common in Kashmir and part of the everyday lives of Kashmiri people.
CAMPAIGN AGAINST STATE REPRESSION
Organising Team* (AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, ASA, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, COLLECTIVE, CRPP, CSM CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, NAPM, NAZARIYA, Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Smajwadi lok manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Mnach, SFI, United Peace Alliance, WSS, Y4S).
