The Legal Forum for Kashmir (LFK) released its annual report, titled “Human Rights Situation in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJK): January to December 2023.”
According to Kashmir Media Service, the LFK’s annual report aims to shed light on the ongoing human rights situation in the Indian-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJK). It presents an in-depth analysis of various human rights issues, including heightened militarization, land grabbing by the Indian occupation forces and the authorities, excessive use of force against non-combatants, extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detentions, prohibition of the public assembly, mass imprisonments, curbs on press and freedom of speech, nomenclature and demographic changes with a larger settler colonial design.
According to the LFK annual report, January-December 2023 saw a new trend of state repression and counterinsurgency operations in the war-trampled region of IOJK. On the ground, the violations of International Human Rights law (IHRL) and International Humanitarian law (IHL) led to appalling human tragedies.
A total of 260 Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) were reported by the local media which are just a fraction of the total Search Operations launched by the occupation forces.
This year so far LFK has recorded 248 killings in multiple incidents of violence across IOJK. The armed actions against the native population as a result of heightened military presence have resulted in the killing of 82 Indigenous freedom fighters and 100 Indian troops from Jan to December 2023. At least 70 encounters took place between the Indian forces and the freedom fighters of Kashmir. During these CASOs, vandalism, and destruction of 138 civilian properties were reported. Also, 171 instances of Internet shutdown were reported. India’s Infamous investigation agencies National Investigation Agency (NIA) & State Investigation Agency (SIA) attached 200 properties across IOJK in the year 2023.
Police claimed to have secured direct cooperation from social media giants, including WhatsApp, X, Snapchat, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok.
LFK reports the torture and custodial deaths at Dhera Ki Gali and Buffliaz in the Poonch and Rajouri twin districts. According to the families, the three men – Mohammad Showkat, 22, Safeer Hussain, 45, and Shabir Ahmad, 32, were detained by Indian army at the hilly Topa Pir village in Poonch district on 22 December 2023, stripped them naked and sprayed chili powder over their sensitive parts before killing them.
The occupational authorities and their auxiliaries seized over 178005.213 acres in Kashmir region and 25159.56 acres in Jammu.—KMS
