The Hague: Justice prevailed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the Indian citizen, Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for espionage. The ICJ asked Pakistan to review the death sentence of Jadhav and said that the stay on execution is indispensable till the conviction is reviewed and reconsidered.
The court said, “A continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence of Mr Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav.”
The ICJ also asked Pakistan to allow India consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. The Court delivered its verdict with 15 judges in favour of the decision. Only the Pakistani judge disagreed with the judgment that was delivered by ICJ President, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf.
The court was of the view that Pakistan had indeed violated the Vienna Convention which gives countries consular access when their citizens are arrested in a foreign country. It said that Pakistan deprived India its right to communicate and have access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and also denied meeting with him and to arrange legal help.
After the verdict former Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “I wholeheartedly welcome the verdict of International Court of Justice in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav. It is a great victory for India. I thank the Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for our initiative to take Jadhav’s case before International Court of Justice.”
However, the court has not entertained India’s plea to annul the military court decision and his release and safe passage to India.
On hearing the verdict the residents Kulbhushan Jadhav’s village of Javli, in Satara district of Maharashtra, erupted in celebration.
