URGENT REQUEST – KASHMIR: For the withdrawal of the false blasphemy charges against Arslan Shani and Asma Batool and the immediate release of Batool
To the corresponding authorities
An alarming development has come to our attention that occurred in the Pakistan-administered region of Jammu Kashmir.. Two human rights activists, Arslan Shani and Asma Batool, have been accused of blasphemy in the Pakistani-administered region of Jammu Kashmir, at the behest of historically state-sponsored fundamentalist forces, particularly since the draconian military regime of Zia-ul-Haq. Such accusations of blasphemy can easily lead to these young human rights activists being murdered by religious fanatics., as has happened on numerous occasions in the past. The details of the cases registered against them are as follows:
Arslan Shani
23/8/24
Thana (police station) Hajeera
Clause 298/499y
FOR No. 182/24
Asma Batool
25/8/24
Thana (police station) Abbas question
Clause 298/489o/489p
FOR No. 52/24
We condemn this heinous act of oppression by the authorities of Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir against the people to silence dissenting voices.. We demand that the charges against Arslan Shani and Asma Batool be dropped immediately, that Asma Batool be released and that state and non-state actors involved in such acts of repression be tried in court and punished in accordance with the universal values of democracy, freedom of expression, justice and human rights. We also reserve the right to register our protest at Pakistani embassies and consulates around the world if the arbitrary charges against Arslan Shani and Asma Batool are not dropped and the latter is released..
