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Kashmir shuts against assassination of Bukhari, civilian killings

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The Kashmir valley is observing a shutdown against the brutal assassination of veteran journalist Shujaat Bukhari and continuing civilian killings.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) had called for a strike on Thursday against the killing of the Rising Kashmir’s founding editor and the civilian killings.

Shops, public transport, other businesses and educational institutions remained shut at most places while attendance in banks, post offices and government offices was thin due to non-availability of public transport.

Private transport and some three wheelers, however, moved in uptown areas of Srinagar. Reports from other cities and towns in the

Valley also indicate that the shutdown derailed normal life there too. Rail services have been suspended as a precaution.

ALSO READ: Kashmir newspaper editorials go blank in protest against Shujaat Bukhari’s assassination

Bukhari was assassinated on June 14 by unidentified gunmen outside his office in Srinagar, a day before Eid and few minutes before Iftaar (breaking of Fast during Ramzan). Bukhari succumbed to his injuries and was declared brought dead at the hospital.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein during his opening statement of the 38th session of the Human Rights Council on Monday said that he was deeply saddened by the assassination of veteran journalist Shujaat Bukhari.

While calling him a human rights defender, Hussein said, “I am tremendously saddened by the assassination last week of Shujaat Bukhari, a courageous human rights defender actively working for peace, including through his participation in the Track Two diplomacy seeking to help both India and Pakistan put an end to the violence.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists while strongly condemned the killing of the editor said that Indian authorities must bring killers of Bukhari to justice.

ALSO READ: Tremendously saddened by the assassination of rights defender Shujaat Bukhari: UN

Recently, two major world bodies of editors and publishers have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying their “grave concern” over Shujaat Bukhari’s assassination and sought investigations in the case.

World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum are major media associations. WAN-IFRA represents 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in over 120 countries, with an aim to safeguard the rights of journalists.

“We ask that you take all necessary steps to ensure that local and national authorities carry out a quick and thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators – and masterminds – to justice,” the letter reads.

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