Pakistan denies appeal rights to Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav
Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death in 2017 for espionage, has been denied the right to appeal by Pakistan. Pakistan's Ministry of Defense stated that Jadhav was only granted consular access as per the International Court of Justice's order, sparking further tension between the two nations.
Pakistan has once more taken a malicious action by denying Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav the right to appeal. Pakistan alleges that Jadhav is an Indian spy. The Ministry of Defense has informed the Supreme Court that the International Court of Justice only mandated consular access for Jadhav and did not grant him the right to appeal.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan was actually reviewing the case involving the individuals accused of inciting violence in Pakistan on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. It argued that those found guilty by military courts for the violence were denied the right to appeal, whereas Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav was granted this right.
In reply, Pakistan's Ministry of Defense stated that Kulbhushan Jadhav was not granted the right to appeal, and he was provided consular access solely following the ICJ's directive.
Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav?
Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired naval officer, was running his business in Iran after his retirement. However, in 2016, Pakistan forcibly abducted him and accused him of espionage. In 2017, Pakistan sentenced him to death based on these charges. India contested this decision, and the International Court of Justice put a hold on Jadhav's death sentence following India's appeal.