Mullick vehemently condemned the draconian measures employed by the Modi-led Indian Occupation to suppress this essential freedom in IlOJK
Mushaal Condemns India’s Ban on Ashura Processions in Occupied Kashmir. Mushaal Hussein Mullick, esteemed Chairperson of the Peace and Culture Organisation and former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Human Rights and Women Empowerment, has issued a powerful condemnation of the Indian government’s systematic repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), specifically targeting the fundamental right to peaceful religious observance.
Ms. Mullick, also the wife of illegally detained Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Mohammad Yasin Malik, highlighted the egregious ban imposed by Indian authorities on the sacred Ashura processions during Muharram. She unequivocally asserted that the right to peacefully practice religion, including mourning processions central to the observance of Ashura, is an inviolable and universal human right.
Ms. Mullick vehemently condemned the draconian measures employed by the Modi-led Indian Occupation to suppress this essential freedom in IlOJK. She decried:
- The Outright Ban: The illegal and unjustifiable prohibition on Ashura processions, preventing Kashmiris from commemorating a deeply significant religious event.
- Mass Arbitrary Arrests: The widespread and indiscriminate detention of Kashmiris in the lead-up to and during Muharram.
- Brutal Crackdown Tactics: The imposition of Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs), the staging of fake encounters, the imposition of continuous curfews, and the severing of communication through interne blockades.
- Systematic Repression: These actions collectively represent a deliberate strategy by the Indian state to crush dissent, stifle religious expression, and deny the Kashmiri people their basic freedoms under international law. Religious freedom is not a privilege granted by the state; it is a fundamental human right inherent to all people,” stated Ms. Mullick. “The Modi government’s brutal crackdown in IlOK, epitomized by the ban on Ashura processions and the accompanying reign of terror through arrests, CASOs, fake encounters, and communication blackouts, constitutes a gross violation of this universal principle. It is an assault on the very identity and dignity of the Kashmiri people.” Drawing a poignant parallel to ongoing global struggles, Ms. Mullick declared, “The spirit of Karbala, symbolizing the eternal stand against oppression and tyranny, lives on today – not only in Palestine but vibrantly in the hearts and resistance of the Kashmiri people facing the brutality of the Indian occupation. The world cannot remain silent as the Modi regime denies Kashmiris their right to mourn, assemble peacefully, and practice their faith.” Ms. Mullick called upon the international community, OIC,Muslim Unmah,human rights organizations, and the United Nations to urgently intervene and hold the Indian government accountable for its persistent human rights abuses in llOJK.She demanded the immediate lifting of the ban on religious processions, the release of all Kashmiri political prisoners including her husband Mohammad Yasin Malik, an end to the military siege, and the restoration of the Kashmiri people’s inalienable right to Self Determination.
