MOON Desk: The illegitimate IIOJK government established the SIA in November 2021 to look into crimes involving militancy. The SIA is the local version of the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA).In IIOJK, the SIA has stepped up its frightful strategy by conducting raids against various places, including Hurriyat leaders, in connection with militancy funding cases that were reported in 2021–2022.
The fascist Indian government under Modi is arresting innocent citizens of Kashmir on bogus accusations and punishing them in order to instill fear and terror in IIOJK.In IIOJK, the SIA is recognized as India’s main counterterrorism task force. The agency has the authority to handle the investigation of offences connected to terrorism across India without requesting a specific waiver from the states. Indeed, its principal objectives are to deal with the independence movements by illegal measures with support from the Indian government.
Internationally, SIA is acknowledged as a method for suppressing HRVs.International specialists and unaffiliated commentators have compared the SIA to Al-Qaeda and ISIS.The fact that India often used SIA in pretended counterterrorism operations to stifle peaceful protesters, human rights advocates, and journalists has been emphasized by HRW time and time again.
According to the most recent statistics, SIA authorities have targeted outspoken groups for their HR work by filing more frequently politically motivated criminal cases under the terrorism and sedition laws against activists, journalists, academics, students, and others. They also use foreign funding regulations to do this.Both domestically and internationally, the SIA’s increased cordon and search operations have garnered criticism.
Concerns were raised by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) on “the acts of harassment, which seem to be simply intended to penalize and intimidate” organisations and people for their human rights activism.With regards to HRAs made by SIA, the International Organization against Torture has also expressed its grave concern: “We are profoundly worried about the great possibility of torture of victims of unlawful arrests by SIA while in detention.”
For HRs, UNHC the unlawful legislation that India has put into place, according to Michelle Bache let, “are really being utilized to prevent or penalize NGOs for HRs reporting and advocacy that the authorities regard as critical in character.”The head of the subcommittee on human rights in the European Parliament expressed alarm about the “deterioration of the rule of law” in India, particularly the detention of nonviolent opponents, journalists, and human rights advocates.
On July 30, 2021, the EU Parliament sent a letter to the Indian government requesting an end to grave HRAs in IIOJK.
