Yasin Malik: A Case of Denial of Right of Fair Trial

Justice For All condemns the denial of the right of fair trial of the Kashmiri politician Mohammad Yasin Malik, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front.

While Malik has once again demanded physical appearance during the hearing in a case registered against him in a Jammu court, the Indian Court declined the request.

Yasin Malik is one of the most revered Kashmiri politician, who voluntarily gave up armed resistance in mid 1990s in favor of peaceful resolution of the Kashmir conflict. He is peacefully struggling for the fundamental right of self determination of Kashmiri people since then.

Malik is serving a life sentence in a fabricated ‘terror-funding’ case.

It should be noted that the BJP government has weaponized money laundering to crush dissent. Individuals and organizations who raise their voices against the aggression of BJP government are routinely accused of money laundering.

Turning down his demand for physical appearance, the court said there were clear directions from the high court for producing the accused in all cases through video conferencing. While the court offered him legal aid, Malik declined the offer of legal aid, Press Trust of India reported

Malik observed a 10-day hunger strike from July 22 in favour of his demand for physical appearance in a Jammu court hearing the Rubaiya Sayeed abduction case.

Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory and the oldest global conflict that United Nations has ever addressed.

Justice For All believes that the case of Yasin Malik should be dealt according to Geneva Convention which applies to armed conflicts.

Justice For All believes that according to fair trial standards, Malik has a legitimate right to appear before the court in person and defend himself.