Kashmiri Activist Aasiya Andrabi Sentenced to Three Life Terms
An Indian special NIA court in New Delhi has sentenced prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Aasiya Andrabi to three life terms, alongside two associates receiving 30-year sentences. The verdict, delivered on March 24, convicted the 64-year-old founder of the banned organization Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) primarily for offensive speech-making, including inciting public disorder and undermining national integration. Notably, the judge found no evidence supporting the more serious charges of waging war or financing terrorism, which were dropped. Legal experts and activists condemn the ruling as part of a broader pattern of suppressing dissent in Kashmir through the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Critics argue that criminalizing ideology rather than specific violent actions violates freedom of speech, while the court cited the defendants' lack of remorse as a reason for the harsh penalty.
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Kashmiri Activist Aasiya Andrabi Sentenced to Three Life Terms
An Indian special NIA court in New Delhi has sentenced prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Aasiya Andrabi to three life terms, alongside two associates receiving 30-year sentences. The verdict, delivered on March 24, convicted the 64-year-old founder of the banned organization Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) primarily for offensive speech-making, including inciting public disorder and undermining national integration. Notably, the judge found no evidence supporting the more serious charges of waging war or financing terrorism, which were dropped. Legal experts and activists condemn the ruling as part of a broader pattern of suppressing dissent in Kashmir through the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Critics argue that criminalizing ideology rather than specific violent actions violates freedom of speech, while the court cited the defendants' lack of remorse as a reason for the harsh penalty.
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