IIOJK’s Cry for Human Rights Amid Indian State Terrorism

On World Human Rights Day, IIOJK’s struggle for justice is silenced by India’s state terrorism — the world must act before it’s too late.

As World Human Rights Day approaches, posters emerge across Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), calling global attention to the relentless human rights abuses perpetrated by Indian forces in the region. These posters, displayed by several Kashmiri resistance groups including the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Resistance Party, and the Jammu Kashmir Political Resistance Movement, are a stark reminder of the ongoing repression in the region.

World Human Rights Day, commemorated every December 10, marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. However, in IIOJK, these ideals seem far from being realized, with the daily violations of fundamental freedoms under Indian occupation. The posters depict prominent Kashmiri leaders like Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, and Aasiya Andrabi, who remain imprisoned for advocating Kashmiri self-determination, a right denied by the Indian state.

The posters denounce the cold-blooded killings of Kashmiri civilians, especially the youth, in staged encounters and military operations. These extrajudicial killings are part of a broader pattern of abuse, where families are denied the right to a proper burial for their loved ones. The posters also highlight the arbitrary arrest of human rights activists and the silencing of dissent in a region under constant military siege.

Kashmiris have long been denied their right to self-determination, as enshrined in UN resolutions. The international community, which marks this day to recognize human rights across the globe, is urged to take concrete action against the Indian government’s state-sponsored terrorism in IIOJK. The posters call for an immediate end to the systemic violence and for a resolution of the Kashmir dispute that reflects the will and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

As the world observes Human Rights Day, IIOJK remains trapped in a brutal cycle of oppression. The silence of global powers only emboldens India’s efforts to crush the voice of the Kashmiri people. The posters are a cry for justice, demanding the international community hold India accountable for its blatant violations of human rights and push for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in line with international law.