BJP regime’s extreme pressure forces IIOJK lawyers to distance from political cases
Srinagar: Lawyers in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have said that they are not contesting political cases of prisoners due to extreme pressure from the Delhi-appointed Manoj Sinha administration.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the situation highlights a significant legal and human rights issue in occupied Kashmir, where lawyers are facing extreme pressure from the BJP government and Indian agencies to avoid representing individuals connected with the pro-freedom movement.
This reluctance to take on such politically sensitive cases creates a legal vacuum, leaving under-trials vulnerable to coercion and threats from authorities.
The pressure on lawyers to not defend pro-freedom activists means that individuals facing charges often have no legal representation or support to challenge the accusations against them. The coercive tactics used by Indian agencies, such as forcing under-trials to accept crimes they may not have committed, further exacerbates the injustice. Without proper legal advocacy, the chances of a fair trial are reduced, leading to higher conviction rates, which in turn give an appearance of legitimacy to the actions of the Indian government and its agencies.
This scenario also underscores the lack of resistance from the legal community in Kashmir, with only a few lawyers speaking out against the actions of the BJP regime. The fact that senior lawyer Mian Qayoom, a prominent figure in the Kashmiri legal community, had to bring in lawyers from outside Kashmir to represent him in the High Court. This phenomenon further demonstrates the isolation and fear within the local legal profession and reflects a broader issue of systemic pressure and intimidation aimed at silencing dissenting voices in Kashmir.
This situation raises concerns about the fundamental rights of individuals in Kashmir to receive a fair trial and the role of the legal community in upholding those rights under extreme pressure.
