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Amnesty International has urged the newly formed government of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) to take immediate steps to protect fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and personal liberty, expressing concern over restrictions on civil society groups and the recent crackdown on protesters in the region.
In an open letter dated November 13, addressed to newly elected Prime Minister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani, Amnesty International called upon the regional government and relevant Pakistani authorities to ensure that human rights are respected across the territory. The organisation raised concerns over what it described as swift and systematic measures taken by authorities since June to restrict civic freedoms. Amnesty International also highlighted the November 5 crackdown on protests in Rawalakot, where protesters alleged that security personnel used live ammunition and drones. According to the letter, the incident reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least three protesters and left more than a dozen others injured. A major concern raised in the communication was the banning of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Amnesty International argued that the move violates the rights to freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly. Citing Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the organisation stressed that restrictions on associations must meet the tests of necessity and proportionality. It said the PoJK government had failed to provide evidence establishing that the ban on JAAC was justified under international standards or represented the least restrictive measure available. The letter also referred to concerns raised by the UN Human Rights Committee in 2024 over the use of anti-terrorism legislation against civil society organisations and grassroots movements in Pakistan. Furthermore, the organisation recalled that six UN human rights mandate holders had written to Pakistani authorities on September 4, questioning whether JAAC's designation as a proscribed organisation complied with international standards and raising concerns that it could be retaliation for the group's political, labour and human rights advocacy. Amnesty International urged Prime Minister Gilani's government to ensure that people in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir can exercise their fundamental freedoms without intimidation or arbitrary restrictions. (ANI)
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