Speakers Urge Global Action Against Criminalization of Dissent In Kashmir

Growing concern over India’s harsh campaign to silence Kashmiri voices dominated a major World Human Rights Day webinar, where political leaders, academics, journalists and rights activists exposed how the Modi regime has turned IIOJK into a place where even basic speech is treated like a crime. The discussion made it clear that India is running one of the worst crackdowns in the region, using force, fear and long detentions to crush the Kashmiri demand for rights.

Speakers Expose India’s War On Kashmiri Freedom

♦ India treats peaceful speech as a threat to its control.
♦ Hurriyat leaders are jailed to break political leadership.
♦ Global action is urgently needed to stop India’s repression.

Senior APHC AJK leader Mehmood Ahmed Saghar said the unresolved Kashmir dispute continues to endanger peace in South Asia because India refuses to allow Kashmiris even the simple right to speak about their own future. He highlighted the case of a Kashmiri mother who planned to walk 300 kilometres to Kot Bhalwal Jail to meet her detained son, calling it a painful reminder of how Indian policies have broken families and crushed basic human dignity.

He said APHC will urge Pakistan to display photos and profiles of Kashmiri prisoners in major offices and missions worldwide to force global attention on their suffering.

India’s Demographic Plan To Change Kashmir’s Identity

♦ New Delhi pushes domiciles to outsiders to alter Kashmir’s population.
♦ India’s claim of normalcy is exposed by these forced measures.
♦ Joint pressure from Pakistan and Kashmiris is essential.

Former AJK minister Farzana Yaqoob said India is carrying out demographic engineering by giving domiciles to non-Kashmiris. She said such steps clearly prove that India’s claim of “normalcy” in the region is false, because no government changes population structures during peace. She stressed continuous advocacy along with Pakistan to protect Kashmir’s identity.

India Blocks Media And Fair Trials In IIOJK

♦ Newspapers face heavy censorship and cannot publish political news.
♦ Kashmiri leaders are denied fair trials under harsh laws.
♦ Indian courts have a history of biased judgments in Kashmiri cases.

JKLF spokesman Rafiq Dar condemned India’s strict media and political censorship. He said many Kashmiri newspapers are not allowed to publish even routine political statements. He reminded that Muhammad Maqbool Butt and Afzal Guru were executed to satisfy political pressure in India. He added that Muhammad Yasin Malik is being denied justice and is facing rushed weekly court hearings without proper legal rights. He urged the world to pressurise India to stop using courts as a tool of punishment.

Kashmir Needs Stronger Global Mobilisation

♦ International alliances must counter India’s harsh control.
♦ Youth in Kashmir face new threats, including drug exposure.
♦ Indian settler policies must be exposed globally.

KIIR chairman Altaf Hussain Wani called for stronger international mobilisation like the Palestinian civil society model. He warned that India is using new tactics by letting drugs and alcohol spread among Kashmiri youth to weaken society. He emphasised raising the narrative of Indian settler colonial control at all major forums.

Global Politics And Need For Stronger Media

♦ China’s growing role gives new direction to the Kashmir dispute.
♦ Kashmir needs a dedicated media voice to highlight abuses.
♦ Diaspora must follow organised global campaigns.

Senior journalist Tazeen Akhtar said new global developments, including China’s rising influence, have added fresh dimensions to the dispute. He called for involving Beijing in future discussions. He urged the creation of a strong media channel focused on Kashmir and encouraged diaspora activism similar to international movements seen in recent years.

India Violates Basic Rights And Imposes Harsh Control

♦ Kashmiris face constant rights violations and pressure.
♦ India’s so-called accession document cannot be trusted.
♦ Water resources and key tourist areas face Indian exploitation.

AJK University academic Madiha Khan said Kashmiris continue to be denied fundamental rights. She questioned the legality of the accession document, calling it fake or at best incomplete. She raised concerns about India’s tight media restrictions, surveillance and the spread of Hindutva ideology. She warned that India’s policies threaten Indus water resources and tourist areas such as Pahalgam. She urged the world to consider strong measures, including sanctions, to hold India accountable.

Hindutva Influence Growing Inside India

♦ India’s youth are influenced by extremist Hindutva ideas.
♦ Students must be educated about the right to self-determination.
♦ Balanced online discussions can counter Indian propaganda.

Professor Dr Muhammad Umar Hayat said Hindutva ideology is spreading deeply among younger Indians. He emphasised the need to teach students about Kashmir’s legal right to self-determination and said the Kashmiri freedom struggle must never be labelled as terrorism. He called for campus discussions and research-based policy briefs to counter India’s narrative.

Indian Laws Reveal The Extent Of Control

♦ Nearly 800 Indian laws have been forced on IIOJK.
♦ These laws show the scale of India’s occupation and control.

Human rights activist Soma Aslam said the removal of Articles 370 and 35-A allowed India to impose almost 800 new laws on Kashmir, showing how deeply New Delhi wants to control every part of Kashmiri life. She spoke about emotional suffering, rising unemployment and growing communal tension caused by India’s policies.

Kashmiri Families Face Unending Hardship

♦ Many Kashmiris remain in jail without charges.
♦ Masarrat Aalam Butt has spent 29 years in jail.
♦ Kashmir’s future affects the whole region.

Hurriyat leader Shaikh Abdul Mateen said freedom of expression in IIOJK is severely restricted and detentions without charges continue to rise. He highlighted the case of Masarrat Aalam Butt, who has been in jail for 29 years, reflecting the depth of India’s repression. He urged Pakistan to continue strong political and diplomatic efforts and appreciated current steps to bring global focus back to Kashmir.

India’s Crackdown Is A Global Warning

All speakers agreed that India is carrying out a harsh and systematic crackdown in Kashmir, using long detentions, censorship, demographic changes and fear to silence an entire population. They said the world must treat this situation as a serious human rights crisis because India’s actions threaten peace and violate basic principles of justice. The webinar ended with a united call for strong global action to stop India’s assault on Kashmiri rights.