The EU Press Club Brussels today hosted an urgent press briefing highlighting the rapidly worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). Representatives of the Belgian Kashmiri community and human rights advocates presented new findings indicating a severe escalation of state repression, civilian harm, and humanitarian deprivation across the region.
Crisis Triggered by Proscription of Peaceful Civil Rights Movement
Speakers emphasised that the current crisis began when the AJK Government proscribed the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) — a long‑standing peaceful civil rights platform — after it organised a lawful protest calling for basic civil, economic, and democratic rights.
The proscription order, issued without credible or publicly disclosed evidence, was described as a politically motivated act that triggered a region‑wide crackdown.
Unprecedented Communication Blackout
Since 05 June 2026, AJK has been under a total communication blackout, with internet services fully shut down.
Families in Europe, including Belgium, have been unable to contact relatives, while journalists and humanitarian organisations remain unable to verify casualties or access reliable information.
Speakers noted that the blackout is unprecedented in both scale and duration.
Reports of Civilian Deaths, Detentions, and Disappearances
Following the proscription of JKJAAC, the situation has deteriorated sharply.
According to information presented at the briefing:
- Tens of civilians have reportedly been killed, with bodies withheld from families, preventing dignified burials.
- Hundreds of people have been detained, including peaceful protesters and community organisers.
- Mass arrests, enforced disappearances, and missing persons have been reported across multiple districts.
- No public custody lists have been released, leaving families without information on the whereabouts of detainees.
Speakers warned that these actions raise serious concerns under international human rights law.
Humanitarian Blockade Affecting Vulnerable Populations
As of 23 June 2026, restrictions remain in place on:
- Food supplies
- Medicines and essential health services
- Milk and baby formula
- Public transport and movement
The blockade is disproportionately affecting disabled people, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, newborns, children, older people, daily‑wage workers, and families already under economic stress.
Presenters described the situation as a full‑scale humanitarian crisis.
Political Repression and Misuse of Security Laws
The briefing highlighted a significant expansion of political repression following the proscription of JKJAAC:
- More than 150 leading JKJAAC members across all 10 districts have been placed on Schedule 4, with approximately 250 more at risk.
- A consolidated report documents 114 names from Home Department notifications dated 18 June 2026, imposing Fourth Schedule restrictions.
These measures impose severe limitations on movement, employment, banking, travel, political participation, and family life, and were described as part of a systematic attempt to criminalise peaceful democratic organising.
Calls for EU and UN Engagement
Speakers urged Members of the European Parliament to support urgent engagement by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and relevant UN Special Procedures, including mandates on peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, extrajudicial executions, torture, human rights defenders, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, disability rights, and health.
They also called on the European Union and the Belgian Government to press for:
- Independent access to AJK
- Evidence preservation
- Publication of detainee and missing‑person lists
- Humanitarian monitoring and open access
- Protection of civilians and an end to reprisals
- Immediate restoration of communications
Pathway to Peace
The briefing concluded with an appeal for international support for a structured dialogue process and the implementation of the Muzaffarabad Declaration of 04 October 2025, described as a peaceful and democratic framework for addressing public grievances in AJK.
Zaheer Zahid
On behalf of Belgian Kashmiri community
Website: www.jkjaac.co
Ph: +32465519136