Freedom House finds that India is “Partially Free”, with a score of 49/100 (22/40 for Political Rights and 27/60 for Civil Liberties).

Topics: access to information and internet, freedom of assembly, minority rights, electoral freedom, political pluralism and participation, government functioning, freedom of expression and belief, associational and organisational rights, rule of law, personal autonomy and individual rights

‍Terms: killing of Burhan Wani, internet shutdowns, right to freedom of assembly, right to free and fair elections, right to freedom of speech, right to political self-determination, right to dissent

Article Summary: This is a communication of the UN Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial executions and health to the Government of India expressing grave concern regarding violations of the right to life of eight civilians including four children in Jammu and Kashmir who were allegedly killed either intentionally or following indiscriminate fire by state forces between March and July 2018 the failure to investigate in all eight cases.

Topics: violations of right to life, violations against minors, killing of protestors, killings of civilians, failur eot investigate, non-response by Indian Government, impunity

‍Terms: excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, misuse of firearms, extrajudicial killings of Irshad Ahmad Lone, Shahid Afridi Dar, Sharjeel Hameed Sheikh and Suhail Khalil Wagay

This is a communication from the UN Special Rapporteur on torture to the Government of India, expressing grave concern regarding the torture and ill-treatment of Mr. Javaid Ahmad Lone at the Baramulla Police Station.

Topics: torture, ill-treatment

Terms: custodial torture of Javaid Ahmad Lone, army raids, police brutality

This report of a 5-member group of prominent Indian former government officials and civil society leaders was presented to the Indian Home Minister based on a visit to Srinagar from June 19-23, 2018. The report finds that there was a sense of dejection and expectation of worse to come as the discourse on Kashmir seemed to be becoming more aggressive by the day.

Topics: sudden demise of the BJP-PDP government, Ramzan cease-fire and its revocation, challenges under Governor’s rule, civil society in retreat after Shujaat Bukhari’s assassination, overall situation is alarming
Terms: counter-insurgency operations, revocation of unilateral cease-fire, assassination of Shujaat Bukhari, unclaimed killing, excessive use of force, political disenfranchisement, political disempowerment, hopelessness, insecurity

This is a communication by the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial or arbitrary executions to the Government of India expressing grave concern over violations of the right to life of eleven civilians in Kashmir, ten of whom were allegedly killed either intentionally or following excessive or indiscriminate use of fire arms by state forces, and the failuire to conduct thorough, prompt and impartial investigations or prosecute perpetrators.

Topics: violation of the right to life, civilian killings, excessive use of force, failure to investigate, failure to prosecute, Indian Government failure to respond, impunity

Terms: killing of protestors Khalid Ahmad Dar, Mohammed Ayoub Mir, Haji Mohammed Abdullah Ganai, killing of Niyaz Ahmad Mir, extrajudicial killing of Tanveer Ahmad Wani, Owais Shafi Dar, Javaid Ahmad Bhat, Rayees Ahmad Ganai, Habibullah Shah Syed and Gowhar Ahmad Rather, Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), arbitrary deprivation of life, lack of proportionality