Imphal : On the 15th anniversary of Irom Sharmila’s hunger strike, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on Friday urged the Indian government to repeal the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) without any “further delay”.
“The AFSPA has facilitated gross human rights violations by the armed forces in the areas in which it is operational. It is a repressive and draconian law that should have no place in today’s India,” ICJ Asia-Pacific director Sam Zarifi said.
ICJ is an NGO which aims to promote and protect human rights through the rule of law, by using its unique legal expertise to develop and strengthen national and international justice systems.
ICJ’s demand came after human rights activist Sharmila completed her 15 years of indefinite fast demanding for repealing of AFSPA.
The AFSPA grants special powers and immunity from prosecution to security forces to deal with raging insurgency in the some northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir.