Kashmir Cannot Be Silenced: Global Rights Groups Demand Justice, Self-Determination

As tensions between India and Pakistan continue, two leading international human rights organizations have reminded the world that Kashmir is not just a domestic issue—it is a global human rights crisis demanding urgent attention.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) have issued a joint statement emphasizing that the Kashmir conflict cannot be treated solely as India’s internal matter. Citing the ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the organizations call for international accountability and reaffirm the region’s disputed status under international law.

According to the statement, the human rights situation in IIOJK has dramatically worsened since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The use of draconian laws like the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with prolonged internet shutdowns, arbitrary detentions, and the suppression of free speech, has severely restricted Kashmiris’ rights to expression, assembly, and political participation.

FORUM-ASIA and FIDH argue that Kashmir’s legal and political status is internationally recognized as disputed, referring to UN Security Council Resolutions 47, 91, and 122, which advocate for a plebiscite to determine the region’s future. These calls were also echoed in UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reports in 2018 and 2019, which recommended independent international investigations into rights abuses.

The statement noted that international efforts—such as the U.S. offer to mediate and UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s appeal for restraint and diplomacy—underscore the global dimension of the Kashmir issue. They emphasized that ignoring Kashmiris’ right to self-determination not only violates international law but also undermines the credibility of the global human rights framework.

Juliette Rousselot, FIDH’s Deputy Director for Asia, stressed that any solution lacking the free and meaningful participation of Kashmiris is illegitimate. “They are not passive victims, but rights-holders,” she said.

Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso of FORUM-ASIA said the ongoing repression of journalists, civil society, and human rights defenders must end. Many organizations in IIOJK have been forced to shut down, and public discourse has been stifled through mass surveillance, censorship, and the misuse of legal tools.

The joint statement concluded with a strong appeal to the international community and global civil society to stand in solidarity with the people of IIOJK. The organizations called for a comprehensive, independent investigation into rights violations, the protection of civilians, and the initiation of a multilateral, rights-based peace process centered on Kashmiri political agency.