ISLAMABAD, Jul 20 (APP): The Legal Forum for Kashmir (LFK) has issued a strong condemnation regarding the recent arrests of Kashmiri lawyers by Indian occupying authorities in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
In a statement received here on Saturday, the Forum emphasized the urgent need for the protection of legal professionals in occupied territories and calls on international organizations to take action against the perpetrators of these human rights violations.
The LFK criticizes the arbitrary detention of prominent legal professionals, including the former President of the High Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom and other notable lawyers such as Nazir Ahmed Ronga, Muhammad Ashraf Bhat, and Advocate Mian Muzzafar, the statement said and added, these arrests, made under the Public Safety Act (PSA), are viewed as blatant violations of human rights and attempts to silence voices advocating for the UN-guaranteed right to self-determination for Jammu and Kashmir.
The Forum highlights the draconian nature of laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the PSA, which have been weaponized against lawyers, civil society members, and journalists, it said and added, this systemic oppression undermines the legal profession and threatens the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people to legal representation and advocacy.
The LFK urged the international human rights organizations to take notice of these violations and intervene. They appeal for global action to prevent further oppression and uphold the rights of Kashmiri legal professionals. The forum has called upon the international community to impose sanctions against India for its ongoing human rights abuses.
It stressed the necessity for immediate action to protect the legal rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri populace. They vowed to raise this issue in various international legal forums, seeking justice for their colleagues and an end to unlawful detentions.
Meanwhile, the Bar Associations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have also condemned the arbitrary arrests of lawyers in IIOJK.
