FO condemns harsh sentences awarded to Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi, associates by Delhi court

The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday condemned the awarding of a life imprisonment sentence to prominent Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi, as well as the 30-year prison sentences awarded to her associates Fehmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen by a court in Delhi.

Andrabi is the founder of a Kashmiri rights group called the Dukhtaran-i-Millat, or Daughters of the Nation. The court sentenced her, Fehmeeda and Nasreen under the Indian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after government prosecutors alleged that Andrabi was involved in a conspiracy to carry out militant activities.

In a statement posted to social media platform X, the FO said that the verdict constituted a “grave miscarriage of justice” and reflected the “continuing suppression of fundamental rights” in India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“Pakistan views this decision as part of a broader pattern of politically motivated prosecutions aimed at silencing dissenting voices and intimidating those advocating the legitimate rights of the Kashmiri people,” the statement said. “The sentencing raises serious concerns regarding due process, judicial independence, and adherence to international human rights obligations.”

Asiya Andrabi has long been a vocal advocate for the Kashmir cause, the FO added, saying that her conviction and harsh sentencing underscored the “shrinking space for political expression and civil liberties” in the occupied territory.

It stated Pakistan’s belief that such actions further exacerbate tensions and undermine prospects for peace and stability in South Asia.

The FO urged the international community, including the United Nations and global human rights organisations, to take immediate notice of this development and to hold India accountable for its actions in the territory.

It called for the “protection of the political, social, and human rights of the Kashmiri people, including the right to freedom of expression and a fair trial”.

“Pakistan reiterates its unwavering support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for self-determination, as enshrined in relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions,” the statement concluded.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore had on Tuesday also strongly condemned the sentencing, terming the verdict a manifestation of “political coercion” aimed at silencing dissent in India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.