Ahead of the G20 meeting in Srinagar, UN Independent Expert Fernand de Varennes has issued a stark warning on the worsening human rights situation in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Ever since the annulment of the region’s special status by the Government of India in 2019, human rights violations have significantly escalated. De Varennes is particularly troubled by the Indian government’s attempts to utilize the G20 meeting as a means to gain international credibility and normalize the situation, which some consider as an effort to legitimize a military occupation.

“EXPOSED: UN expert warns of deteriorating human rights in Kashmir ahead of G20 meeting”

These actions are raising concerns about the human rights situation in Kashmir among many. Previously, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk also expressed his concerns about the matter.

STATEMENT OF UN EXPERT ON KASHMIR AHEAD OF 620 MEETING
15 May 2023 -

"""Human rights violations have risen drama tically in lndlan-administered Jammu a nd Kashmir since 2019 when the"
"Government of India revoked the specia I status of the region"",warned a UN Independent Expert, one week before a scheduled G20 meetingIs scheduled to be held in Srinagar."
"holding a  G20 meeting of the working group on tourism on  22-24 May•, warned Ferna nd de Va rennes, UN"
"Special Rapporteur on minority issues, ""the Government of India Is seeking to norma lize what some have described as a military occupa tion by instrumenta lis ing a G20 meeting and portray a n interna tiona l 'sea l of approval "", despitl! what Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for huma n rights, told the U.N. Human Rights"
Councila few weeks ago was a @worrying huma n rights situation In the Kashmir region.
"The Special  Ra pporteur issued a  statement today describing the mas sive rights violations as including tor tur e,"
"extrajudicial killings, denial of political participation rights of Kashmir! Muslims and minorities , following the suspension of democr atic rights and locaI elections with direct rule from New Delhion 6 August 2019."
"""The situation there has - II anything - become much worse since myself and fellow UN Independent experts"
"transmitted a communication to the Governmeniof India In 2021. We then expressed our grave concerns that the loss of political autonomy and the Implementation of the new Domicile Rules and other legislation could alter the demographic composition of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, may result in political disenfranchisement, and significantly reduce the degree of  political  participation and representation of the Kashmiri and other"
"minorities previously exercised In the former state,undermining their linguistic, cultural and religious rights,he said.""On all counts this seems to be occurring on the ground,In a repressiveand sometimes brutaI environment of"
"suppression of even basic rights ""."
The Independent Expert  noted that there have been reports of significant numbers of Hindus from outside the
"region moving Into the region so that dramatic demographic changes are underway in Jammu and Kashmir to overwhelm native Kashmlris in their own land""."
"Accordi ng to de Varennes , the G20 is unwittingly providing a veneer of support to a facade of normalcy at a time when massive huma n rights violations, illegal and arbitrary arrests, political persecutions ,restr ictions and even suppression of free media and human rights defenders continue to escalate. ""International human rights obligations and the UN Declaration of Human Rights should still be upheld by organisations such as the G20"",he added, concluding that ""the situation in Jammu and Kashmir should be decried and condemned, not push under"
"the rug and ignored with the holding of this meeting.

30-"Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of Independent experts and the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Coundl's Independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either spedfic country situations or themalic Issues In all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are Independent from only government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.