PARIS (Kashmir English): International community has demanded immediate action on serious human rights (HR) violations in occupied Kashmir.
In connection with the International Human Rights Day, an event was held here under the auspices of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Forum (JKDF), France, presided over by the forum’s president, Asif Jarral.
The program was attended by a large number of leaders from the French and Kashmiri communities, human rights activists, and political and social figures.
The event began with a detailed discussion on the deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir an open prison
Speakers stated that occupied Jammu and Kashmir has become an open prison for several decades, where unarmed Kashmiri people are continuously deprived of freedom of expression, freedom of movement, and political rights.
Those who addressed the program included Malik Munir Ahmed, former General Secretary of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party France; Chaudhry Tasawwar Hussain Tarar, candidate for Chairman of PML-N France; Sardar Zulfiqar Aziz, a renowned Kashmiri leader; Raja Ashfaq Hussain, Chairman of the International Kashmir Peace Forum France and Member of the Working Committee of PML-N Azad Kashmir; Malik Abid Hussain, President PTI France; and Mirza Asif Jarral, host and President of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Forum France.
On this occasion, participants paid rich tribute to the struggle of Kashmiri freedom leadership and those who sacrificed for the right to self-determination.
In particular, the steadfastness and struggle of Syed Ali Geelani, Burhan Wani, Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Khurram Parvez, Sajjad Gul, Fahad Shah, Asif Sultan, and Irfan Mehraj were saluted.
Speakers emphasized that all these leaders and activists are demanding their fundamental rights, namely freedom and justice, which is not a crime in any civilized world.
They demanded that the international community immediately release all Kashmiri political prisoners and stop the state oppression in the valley.
On this occasion, speakers also strongly criticized international human rights organizations and said: “International human rights organizations should raise the voice of unarmed Kashmiris against Indian barbarism in occupied Kashmir. Silence against oppression is tantamount to complicity in oppression.”
They said that international forums, the United Nations, the European Union, and human rights organizations should review the ground realities and pressure India to grant the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.
