Washington,DC.March 28, 2026, (TW News) – Washington, DC-based World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF) condemns the inhuman life imprisonment verdict issued by Modi regime’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) against the popular Kashmiri political leader, Mrs. Asiya Andrabi along with two other prominent female Kashmiri political activists, Mrs. Sofi Fameeda and Mrs. Nahida Nasreen on March 24, 2026.

64 year old Asiya Andrabi, founder of Dukhtaran-e-Millet who has spent over 15 years in Indian jails, away from her homeland of Jammu and Kashmir on trumped charges of “waging war against the state” and “conspiracy to commit terrorist acts” using the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), a law that has frequently been criticized by the UN Thematic Rapporteurs, Amnesty International, Human Right Watch, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and other international human rights bodies, and which violates the 4th Geneva Convention as well as International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) for its vague definitions and restrictive bail conditions.

If left unchallenged under the new life imprisonment, Mrs. Andrabi who has barely seen her two grown up sons separated from her since their childhood, most likely will never see them again.

Asiya Andrabi has spent her entire political life in advocating for the civil and political rights of her people of Jammu and Kashmir, including the UN-guaranteed right to self-determination. The judgement has been pronounced against her opposition to Indian occupation and supporting the UN resolutions. The charges framed against her, and two associates are frivolous , fallacious and fabricated. The right of self-determination for people of Indian occupied Kashmir is mandated by UN resolutions. The three women were just espousing for the implementation of these resolutions promised by the world body, including both India and Pakistan.

A woman of admirable courage and unparalleled commitment to national freedom, Mrs. Andrabi, a biochemist-turned political leader, has now joined the ranks of the daring political and human rights leaders like Ahmed Ben Bella of Algeria for raising his voice for fighting colonial rule or Nelson Mandela who dedicated his life in combating apartheid in South Africa.

Mrs. Andrabi’s husband, Dr. Ashiq Husain Fuktoo, who proposed to Asiya Andrabi and earned his PHD in Islamic Studies has already spent 30 years in jail on trumped up charges. They have been separated for too long and never have seen each other for over 30 years.

The forcible abduction and transfer of Kashmiri political leaders, human rights activists, and journalists into India raise serious concerns under international law and human rights norms and instruments. Since 1947, the region of Kashmir has remained a deeply contested territory, with ongoing disputes over its political status. In this context, reports of detentions, enforced transfers, and restrictions on freedom of movement and expression contribute to an atmosphere of fear and suppression.

History reminds us that many figures once imprisoned for opposing dominant systems of power later came to be recognized as central to their nations’ political evolution. While contexts differ, the principle remains constant: the silencing of dissent through prolonged incarceration undermines democratic legitimacy and erodes the moral authority of institutions.

WKAF, therefore appeal to Dr. Volker Turk (Austria) , UN High Commissioner on Human Rights; Ms. Ganna Yudkivska (Ukrainian Judge), Chair of the ‘UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’; Professor Mary Lawlor, (Ireland), ‘UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of the Human Rights Defenders’ and Dr. Alice Jill Edwards (Australia), ‘UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’ to intervene and persuade Government of India for immediate and unconditional release of trio-human rights defenders.

WKAF also calls upon the international community, human rights organizations, and democratic institutions worldwide to:

· Urgently seek transparency and accountability in the judicial processes applied in such cases.
· Advocate for the protection of fundamental civil and political rights, including freedom of expression and belief.
· Call for a comprehensive review of laws such as UAPA and the Public Safety Act (PSA), ensuring they conform to international human rights standards
· Press for humane treatment, fair legal recourse, and the safeguarding of due process for all detainees.

Justice cannot be selective, nor can it be sustained through the suppression of voices. The true measure of any legal system lies not in how it treats the powerful, but in how it safeguards the rights of those who dissent. At stake here is not merely the fate of three Kashmiri individuals, but the integrity of fundamental principles that underpin any society governed by the rule of law.

For more information, please contact:
World Kashmir Awareness Forum at:
info@kashmirawareness.org. /. worldkashmirawareness@gmail.com
www.kashmirawareness.org