Prominent Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi has been convicted in a court case, intensifying India’s ongoing crackdown on separatist leadership in the region. The verdict has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups and separatist organizations.
Asiya Andrabi, founder and head of the women-led separatist group Dukhtaran-e-Millat, was found guilty in a case linked to the decades-long Kashmir conflict. Alongside her, senior activists Fahmida Soofi and Naheedah Nasreen were also convicted. The court is scheduled to announce their sentences on January 17.
The convictions come amid rising tensions in Jammu and Kashmir. Critics say the Modi-led Indian government continues to use stringent laws and security agencies to silence dissent and suppress political voices advocating for Kashmiri self-determination. Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized these actions as politically motivated.
Asiya Andrabi has remained a key female voice advocating Kashmir’s independence. She was first detained in mid-2018 and has spent several years in prison on charges her supporters claim were fabricated to weaken the separatist movement.
Adding to the controversy, Andrabi’s husband, Ashiq Hussain, has reportedly been imprisoned for nearly three decades on what separatist groups describe as false and politically engineered charges.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which handled the case, has faced criticism for targeting political opponents under the guise of national security. Critics argue that the agency’s interventions often undermine legal fairness and suppress legitimate political activism.
Separatist organizations have condemned the verdict, stating that the convictions will not silence the Kashmiri struggle for freedom. They warn that prolonged arrests, trials, and political repression only deepen resentment and fuel resistance among the Kashmiri people.
As the region braces for the upcoming sentencing, the conviction of Asiya Andrabi highlights the intensifying tensions between the Indian government and Kashmir’s separatist leaders.
In other news read more about: Malala Yousafzai Supports Iranian Women and People in Their Call for Freedom
Observers note that the case has drawn attention both nationally and internationally, further spotlighting the challenges faced by dissenting voices in the region.
