India on Friday told the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation not to justify terrorism hours after the intergovernmental organisation criticised the sentencing of Jammu and Kashmir separatist leader Yasin Malik.
Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday in a terror funding case by a special National Investigation Agency court in Delhi. The court had also imposed a fine of over Rs 10 lakh.
“India finds unacceptable the comments made by OIC-IPHRC [Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission] today criticising India for the judgement in the case of Yasin Malik,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Through these comments, OIC-IPHRC has implicitly expressed support for the terrorist activities of Yasin Malik, which were documented and presented in the court.”
Arindam Bagchi, the ministry’s spokesperson, said that the world seeks “zero tolerance” against terrorism and urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to not justify it in any manner.
Earlier on Friday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had condemned Malik’s sentencing and had described the trial as “a sham”. It had also claimed that Malik was kept under “inhumane conditions” in prison.
“Such acts of blatant human rights violations against innocent Kashmiris are aimed at denying Kashmiris their legitimate right to self-determination,” the organisation had said. “It not only constitutes travesty of Indian justice but also exposed the claims of democracy.”
The organisation had also called upon India to release Kashmiri leaders who have been “unfairly incarcerated”.
Case against Malik
Malik was convicted by a special National Investigation Agency court on May 19 in connection with a case of terror funding. On May 10, Malik had pleaded guilty to all charges before a Delhi court in a case related to terror funding and secessionist activities in the Kashmir Valley in 2017.
He was booked under Sections 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds), 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act), and 20 (being member of terrorist gang or organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was also booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition).
He has been sentenced on 10 offences with punishments varying from five years to life imprisonment. The judge said the sentences will run concurrently.
The order said that the crimes are of a “very serious nature” and were intended to forcefully secede Jammu and Kashmir from India.
The National Investigation Agency has alleged that Malik and other separatist leaders “entered into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in the Valley by way of pelting stones on security forces, systematically burning of schools, damage to public property and waging war against India”.
Yasin Malik’s Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front was banned in March for allegedly promoting secessionist activities.
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