'Expressed Support' For Yasin Malik's Terrorist Activities: India Criticises OIC-IPHRC's Remarks On Life Sentence

New Delhi's response came after IPHRC in its statement condemned the NIA court ruling terming it an "illegal conviction" based on "concocted charges following sham trial in India."

In this file image dated, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, Police personnel arrest chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Yasin Malik on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, in Srinagar. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: India on Friday criticised the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) for its criticism of judgement in the terror funding case involving Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, stating that the organisation has implicitly expressed support for his terrorist activities. New Delhi urged the OIC not to justify terrorism in any manner as the world seeks zero-tolerance against the menace. According to news agency ANI, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday said that Yasin Malik's terrorist activities have been documented and presented in court.

In response to media's questions on the comments made by OIC-IPHRC on the judgement of the NIA Court regarding Yasin Malik, the MEA spokesperson said that India finds the comments unacceptable.

"India finds unacceptable the comments made by OIC-IPHRC today criticising India for the judgement in the case of Yasin Malik. Through these comments, OIC-IPHRC has implicitly expressed support for the terrorist activities of Yasin Malik, which were documented and presented in the Court. The world seeks zero tolerance of terrorism and we urge OIC not to justify it any manner," Arindam Bagchi responded, as quoted by ANI.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik in a terror funding case. The NIA court while sentencing life imprisonment to Malik also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh.

IPHRC in its statement condemned the ruling terming it an "illegal conviction" based on "concocted charges following sham trial in India." "He is imprisoned under inhumane conditions which are reflective of systemic Indian bias and persecution of Kashmiri Muslims," the OIC group alleged.

It further added that "such acts of blatant human rights violations against innocent Kashmiris are aimed at denying Kashmiris their legitimate right to self-determination."

Yasin Malik was sentenced to life imprisonment twice. NIA had sought the death penalty for the separatist leader who was convicted on May 19.

Malik had told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him.