This is an unfolding situation. We describe what has been documented, by whom and when.

Kashmir: since August 2019

August 2019 onwards, with earlier human rights reporting

Since August 2019: autonomy revoked, mainstream political leaders detained, high-speed internet cut until 2021, and new residency rules.

The pressures

Pushed out

The 31 March 2020 order introduced a domicile definition for public employment, extended to all government posts by the 3 April order. Official registers cited by Factchecker.in ranged from roughly 44,000 to 65,000 migrant families, around nine in ten Hindu; these were family registrations, not a verified 100,000–300,000 individual exodus total.

Ministry of Home Affairs, S.O. 1229(E) (31 March 2020); Second Order (3 April 2020), reported by LiveLaw (5 April 2020); J&K S.O. 263 (25 August 2020), citing S.O. 166 (18 May 2020); Factchecker.in (23 March 2022).

Written out

The 2020 Official Languages Act gave Kashmiri official status alongside Dogri, Urdu, Hindi and English. It did not determine the medium of instruction. Outlook reported only five of 27 sanctioned higher secondary Kashmiri lecturer posts filled in February 2026. A 2021 decision renamed public infrastructure after security personnel and civilians; no verified curriculum-change claim is made here.

Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, Act No. 23 of 2020; Outlook (21 February 2026); Kashmir Life (28 October 2021).

Squeezed out

Internet restrictions during 2019–2021 disrupted businesses and education.

Access Now / Software Freedom Law Centre India, Internet Shutdowns Documentation (2019–2021).

Worn down

OHCHR cited civil society estimates of 500,000–700,000 security personnel in 2018 and noted the absence of an official figure. The estimate was disputed: Ajai Shukla estimated about 470,000 across the army and police. India rejected the OHCHR report as fallacious, tendentious and motivated.

OHCHR, Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Kashmir (14 June 2018), para 40; Ajai Shukla (3 July 2018); HRW (14 June 2018) reporting India's response.

Silenced

Three former chief ministers were among those detained after 5 August 2019. Farooq Abdullah was released on 13 March 2020, Omar Abdullah on 24 March 2020 and Mehbooba Mufti on 13 October 2020. Journalist Fahad Shah was arrested in February 2022 and released on bail on 23 November 2023.

LiveLaw (30 September 2019); The Wire (13 March 2020); PTI via Onmanorama (24 March 2020); Al Jazeera (13 October 2020; 23 November 2023).

What people are doing

  • OHCHR cited JKCCS casualty monitoring in its 14 June 2018 report, paras 65 and 67.
  • Petitions challenged the Article 370 changes, but the Supreme Court upheld abrogation on 11 December 2023 and directed restoration of statehood and Assembly elections by 30 September 2024. Statehood-timeline petitions were listed on 10 October 2025. Habeas corpus petitions were filed for detained leaders, including Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

How to help, safely

How to help safely: give through established humanitarian organisations already working there, and check their registration (in the UK, on the Charity Commission register). Share information only from named, verified sources. Never share photos, names or locations that could identify people on the ground.

Sources

Sources: the 2020 domicile and language texts, OHCHR (14 June 2018), named detention reports, Scroll (11 December 2023) and Kashmir Reader (10 October 2025). The latest supplied statehood update was the October 2025 listing, not confirmation of the position in 2026. Unsupported disappearance totals, curriculum claims and accounts of APDP activities are withheld.