The Indian authorities have responded to AI’s allegations of the rape of 9 women in the village of Shopian in December 1992 by saying that the result of two investigations, both carried out by the security forces, was that the allegations were “trumped up at the instance of the militant outfit to malign the reputation of the security forces”. The authorities reject the findings of medical examinations on the women and girls which provided evidence of sexual assault. AI remains concerned that there is strong prima facie evidence of rape and torture and that there has been no independent, impartial investigation into these allegations.
