Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called upon India to lift internet restrictions in Indian occupied Kashmir saying restriction of access to the internet violates multiple rights and can be deadly during a health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The HRW senior official, Deborah Brown in a statement in New York said during a health crisis, access to timely and accurate information is crucial to effectively fight the corona pandemic.

She said Internet shutdowns could undermine efforts to bring the pandemic under control.

She urged international community to prioritize their responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and avoid complicity in human rights abuses especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NNR/Khokhar