Turkish lawmaker slams rights abuse in Kashmir

ANKARA

The systematic human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir threatens regional peace, a senior Turkish lawmaker said Tuesday.

Hakan Cavusoglu, head of the Turkish parliament's committee on human rights, said in a statement: "The change of constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to this, systematic and massive rights violations poses a big threat to regional peace."

Human rights violations in the disputed region have reached "an unacceptable level", he said.

He called on "all rights defenders to make an effort" to end the violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Aug. 5 last year, the Indian government scrapped the country’s only Muslim-majority state with its autonomy. Jammu and Kashmir was also split into two federally administered territories.

Simultaneously, New Delhi locked the region down, detaining thousands of people that include dozens of top politicians, imposing movement restrictions and enforcing a communications blackout.

Ahead of the first anniversary of this controversial move, the Indian government has imposed curfew in parts of Kashmir, which critics say stems from the government's fear of mass protests.

Kashmir is held by India and Pakistan in parts but claimed by both in full. A small sliver of the region is also controlled by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars -- in 1948, 1965, and 1971 -- two of them over the disputed territory.

Some groups in Indian-administered Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or unification with neighboring Pakistan.