US congressional caucus to hold hearing on situation in Kashmir on Nov 14

A bipartisan US congressional caucus will hold a hearing on November 14 to examine the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the context of region's history.

This will be the second congressional hearing on Kashmir after the Indian government's move to abrogate Article 370 of the constitution which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Announcing the same in a statement, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission said, "Witnesses will examine the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the context of the region's history..., and will offer recommendations for action by Congress."

The hearing will be open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the interested public, and the media.

The panelists include, Anurima Bhargava, Commissioner, US Commission on International Religious Freedom; Haley Duschinski, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for Law, Justice and Culture, Ohio University; Sehla Ashai, Human rights lawyer Yousra Fazili, Human rights lawyer and Kashmiri-American cousin of Mubeen Shah, detained Kashmiri businessman; Arjun S Sethi, Human rights lawyer and Adjunct Professor, Georgetown Law John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch.