{"id":180669,"date":"2025-08-06T11:42:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T06:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/?p=180669"},"modified":"2025-08-06T11:42:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T06:42:09","slug":"kashmir-under-siege-years-of-repression-since-article-370s-revocation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/2025\/08\/06\/kashmir-under-siege-years-of-repression-since-article-370s-revocation.html","title":{"rendered":"Kashmir Under Siege: Years of Repression Since Article 370\u2019s Revocation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"On August 5, 2019, the Indian government dramatically rescinded the semi\u2011autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, triggering one of the harshest security crackdowns in the region\u2019s history. Within hours of Parliament\u2019s move to abrogate Article\u202f370 of the Indian Constitution, New\u202fDelhi imposed curfew, deployed tens of thousands of additional troops, and cut off nearly all communications. Mobile and internet networks went dark almost entirely after August\u202f4, and for many weeks citizens could not send emails or make phone calls. Under this communications blackout, Indian forces raided homes and rounded up thousands of Kashmiris \u2013 including political leaders, activists, lawyers and even children \u2013 often without charge. Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that India \u201carbitrarily detained thousands of Kashmiris\u201d in 2019 (many under the stringent Public Safety Act) and held \u201chundreds\u2026without charge or under house arrest\u201d to pre-empt protests. In short order, the state\u2019s elected government was dissolved, and Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two federal territories, ending the last vestige of local legislative power.<\/p>\n

International monitors quickly condemned India\u2019s actions. A UN panel of special rapporteurs warned on August\u202f22, 2019 that the freedom-of-speech crackdown was severe and unjustified: reports spoke of a \u201cnear total communications blackout\u201d and experts called it a form of \u201ccollective punishment\u201d of Kashmir\u2019s population. Amnesty International similarly noted that revoking the region\u2019s autonomy was carried out \u201cwithout\u2026 consultation and any participation of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,\u201d and under a \u201ccomplete communication clampdown\u201d including internet and telephone suspensions and mass detentions. Rights groups described the early weeks of the lockdown as \u201cone of the longest spells ever in the region\u201d \u2013 not since the late 1980s had the local population seen such an all\u2011encompassing security siege. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce estimated that the five-month internet blackout alone cost businesses some $2.5\u202fbillion, as factories and schools remained shuttered.<\/p>\n

In June 2022, Kashmiri teachers and residents held protests in Srinagar demanding justice and an end to \u201ctargeted killings,\u201d reflecting ongoing public frustration under India\u2019s repressive policies. Rights groups confirm that the clampdown that began in August 2019 never fully eased. Amnesty International noted in 2022 that the Indian government had “drastically intensified” its repression in Jammu and Kashmir, especially against journalists and human rights defenders. Authorities continue to misuse the Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to detain civilians, including former officials, without trial. Human Rights Watch reported that at least 35 journalists have faced interrogations, threats, or arrests since 2019. A 2020 media policy aimed to suppress independent reporting, and in 2022, journalists like Fahad Shah and Aasif Sultan were re-arrested under PSA after receiving bail.<\/p>\n

International concern has grown. UN Special Rapporteurs warned in 2021 that the revocation of Kashmir\u2019s autonomy endangered the rights of its Muslim-majority population. A 2022 UN panel urged India to lift restrictions on free expression and peaceful assembly. UN experts also condemned the use of UAPA against civil society leaders, including Khurram Parvez. Despite official claims of \u201cdevelopment,\u201d dissenters continue to face raids, surveillance, and arbitrary detention without legal recourse. Rights groups summarize the situation as follows:<\/p>\n

In August 2019, New Delhi imposed a near-total communication blackout in Kashmir, resulting in the world\u2019s longest internet shutdown in a democracy; full access was only gradually restored over months.
\nThousands, including political leaders, lawyers, activists, and minors, were detained\u2014many without charge\u2014under sweeping laws like the Public Safety Act (PSA). Despite harsh curfews, Kashmir witnessed over 700 street protests within six weeks of August 5; authorities responded with excessive force, injuring scores of civilians. Journalists have faced systematic harassment, raids, arrests, and censorship; foreign media remain largely barred, and local outlets operate under severe pressure. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) continues to shield Indian forces from accountability of extrajudicial killings, torture, and other grave rights abuses going uninvestigated.<\/p>\n

Throughout, the Modi administration has defended its Kashmir policy as necessary to maintain stability. Officials have touted new infrastructure and low militant attack counts, with India\u2019s Home Minister stating in 2022 that Kashmir was on a \u201cpath of peace and development\u201d. In parliament and to foreign diplomats, New\u202fDelhi has emphasized normalcy \u2013 for example, citing the reopening of offices and some revival of commerce after curfew restrictions eased. But local voices and observers say normalcy has been superficial. As one independent report observes, Kashmiris \u201cno longer have their own government\u201d and \u201cstay ignorant\u201d of policy decisions while still living under daily surveillance and control.<\/p>\n

Pakistani government and international bodies have registered concern. The European Parliament, U.S. Congress and successive UN Human Rights Council sessions have all expressed unease over Kashmir\u2019s human rights situation. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet similarly said she was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d at ongoing detentions and communications restrictions. Yet on the ground, most families in the Valley continue to live with an unspoken tension a feeling that dissent is not tolerated. A protest banner summed up the sentiment: it implores authorities to \u201cstop innocent killings in Kashmir\u201d and underscores the simple demand of victims\u2019 relatives for accountability.<\/p>\n

\"\"The writer is a student of international relations at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan and currently serving as an intern at the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On August 5, 2019, the Indian government dramatically rescinded the semi\u2011autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, triggering one of the harshest security crackdowns in the region\u2019s history. Within hours of Parliament\u2019s move to abrogate Article\u202f370 of the Indian Constitution, New\u202fDelhi imposed curfew, deployed tens of thousands of additional troops, and cut off nearly all communications. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":180670,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-180669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180669","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180669"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180669\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180669"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}