London/Brussels/Geneva; 2 July 2020: A spokesperson for the Organisation of Kashmir Coalition (OKC) in a press statement disclosed that the Leadership of OKC, Barrister A Majid Tramboo and Prof Nazir A Shawl, wrote to the President of the European Union H.E. Madam Ursula Von Der Leyen, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights H.E. Madam Michelle Bachelet, Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation His Excellency Yousef Bin Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Othaimeen, President of the United Nations Human Rights Council H.E. Madam Elisabeth Tichy-Fissleberger and President of the Sub-committee on Human Rights Madam Maria Arena on 2 July 2020.

Barrister Tramboo and Prof Shawl expressed their anguish and shock having seen the images of a 3 year old boy over the body of his grandfather, which was riddled with bullets, crying and screaming for help at Sopore in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K). Both the Leaders emphasised that the slain civilian, Bashir Ahmed Khan, has been killed by the Indian paramilitary troopers having dragged out of the car, shot dead at a point blank range thereafter placing his grandson on his body and audaciously taking the pictures.

Barrister Tramboo and Prof Shawl dismissed the claim of the Indian authorities that Khan was killed in a crossfire citing the following crucial factors:

– The car in which Khan was travelling had no trace of any bullet shots;

– In all probability, he was dragged out of the car, shot and his body stretched on the ground with his arms and hands upwards and placing his grandson on his chest; and

– The slain Khan’s pictures taken with his 3-year-old grandson by the Indian troopers to cover their ghastly execution.

The OKC Leaders further highlighted that the reign of terror has intensified in IOJ&K since 5 August 2019 when the Indian authorities purportedly annexed the state; bearing in mind, at least, 229 civilians killed in more than 100 military operations across IOJ&K this year from January to June.

Barrister Tramboo and Prof Shawl called upon the international community and the world leaders to constitute an international commission of enquiry on all the killings including that of 3-year-old boy’s grandfather and to persuade the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to open a formal investigation under Articles 6 & 7 of the Statute of Rome to bring to justice all the perpetrators of the crime of genocide perpetrated in IOJ&K.