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Thursday March 28, 2024

Dr Shireen Mazari urges action against India for 'committing war crimes'

Human rights minister says the Narendra Modi government has also violated Article 76 and 83 of the Geneva Convention

By Web Desk
January 04, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari has urged the international community to proceed against New Delhi for committing war crimes by moving prisoners from occupied Kashmir to India and violating the Geneva Convention through ill-treatment of women prisoners.

Mazari made the statement while addressing a press briefing alongside Asiya Andrabi’s son and nephew in Islamabad on Monday. It may be noted here that the Foreign Office said in a recent statement that Asiya Andrabi may be convicted on January 18.

The federal minister said the Indian government is committing war crimes by moving Kashmiri prisoners to and from Indian jails. She was referring to Article 8 (war crimes) of the Rome Statute of International Criminal Court which states that the “transfer, directly or indirectly, by the Occupying Power of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies, or the deportation or transfer of all or parts of the population of the occupied territory within or outside this territory”.

Mazari said the Narendra Modi government has also violated Article 76 and 83 of the Geneva Convention. 

“Article 76 says that women shall be confined in separate quarters and shall be under the direct supervision of women… and the detainees have the right to be visited by the Red Cross but Indian authorities don’t even provide doctors,” said Mazari. “Andrabi and two other women with her are unwell but the Indian government is denying her medical assistance.”

The human rights minister asserted that the Indian government was violating international laws and called upon international community and local and international human rights organisations to condemn the actions.

The minister said Pakistan should demand an international tribunal to proceed against India regarding war crimes. “In 2005, all countries at the United Nations accepted the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) in principle. There are laws present. So the question is: why is the world silent? Is it our failure that we are unable to make a strong case or are countries avoiding taking on India due to economic interests?”