AJK PM condemns sentencing of Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi, her associates by Indian court

2026-03-24 - 16:10

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore on Tuesday strongly condemned the sentencing of three women activists by an Indian court, terming the verdict a manifestation of “political coercion” aimed at silencing dissent in India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In a social media post on X, Rathore denounced the life imprisonment awarded to Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi, along with 30-year sentences handed down to her associates Fehmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen by a special court of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi. “These verdicts are not about justice; they are instruments of political coercion designed to criminalise dissent and suppress the legitimate voice of the Kashmiri people,” he said, adding that targeting women for their political beliefs laid bare the “deep bias” in the system. Andrabi is the founder of a Kashmiri rights group called the Dukhtaran-i-Millat, or Daughters of the Nation. The court sentenced her, Fehmeeda and Nasreen under the Indian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh of the specially designated NIA Court handed down the sentences after hearing arguments about the quantum of punishment. Government prosecutors alleged that Andrabi was involved in a conspiracy to carry out militant activities. The three were convicted on January 14, 2026, under various provisions of the anti-terror law and the Indian Penal Code, including “charges of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts and waging war against the state”. They were the only accused in the case and were convicted together, making Tuesday’s order the first sentencing ruling in the matter. The AJK premier said the decision reflected a broader pattern in which peaceful political expression in the occupied territory was being met with punitive measures. “This is not the rule of law; it is the systematic criminalisation of a legitimate political struggle for the internationally recognised right to self-determination,” Rathore said. He urged the United Nations and international human rights organisations to take immediate notice of the development and play their role in ensuring the release of Kashmiri political prisoners. “The people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir cannot be subdued through intimidation. Their resolve for freedom, justice and dignity will endure,” he added. Meanwhile, Uzair Ahmed Ghazali, a leader representing