ICJ decision on Jadhav a victory for rule of law: Jaitley

Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday termed the International Court of Justice decision on Kulbhushan Jadhav a great victory for the rule of law and his trial in Pakistan as a "mockery" of justice.

"This order though interim is a very serious indictment of the kind of mockery in the name of judicial system that exists in Pakistan," Jaitley said, commenting on the ICJ's decision asking Pakistan not to execute Jadhav pending its final decision.

"Any form of judicial proceeding which is conducted in secrecy, in darkness, and which is not open for any public gaze lacks the very appearance of justice. This order today highlights the importance of the fact that when a person is allegedly accused he has a right of effective defence," he said.

"Unless a person has access to his own consulate he can't even get a counsel of his own choice... It is a vindication of India's stand."

"In the annals of international law this judgment is a great victory of the rule of law," he said.

Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court last month on charges of espionage. India had sought consular access to Jadhav 16 times since his arrest in March 2016, which had been refused.

In a tweet earlier, Jaitley said the verdict "endorses the relevance and necessity of procedural and substantive fairness which was denied by Pakistan".

--IANS

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