In this report, Human Rights Wacth documented "serious abuses, especially the targeting of civilians, by both government forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir. Those abuses continue, despite a tentative peace process that includes talks between New Delhi, Islamabad, and some of Kashmir's separatist leaders, modest confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan, and the 2002 election of a state government with an avowed agenda to improve the human rights situation. Particular attention is given in this report to the problem of impunity from prosecution, whereby those responsible for abuses rarely get investigated, let alone tried and convicted.

Topics: legal causes of abuses and impunity, failure of accountability, continuing impunity, militant abuses

Terms: Section 45 of Criminal Procedure Code, Section 197 of Criminal Procedure Code, Disturbed Areas Act, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Public Safety Act, Gawkadal, Maulvi Farooq, Beijbehara killings, Jalil Andrabi, Chattisinghpora massacre, killings, disappearances, torture, arbitrary detention