Kashmir Diaspora Coalition Calls for International Recognition of July 13 as Kashmir Martyrs’ Day

Date: July 13, 2025
The Kashmir Diaspora Coalition (KDC) today commemorates the 94th
anniversary of July 13, 1931, a historic day when 22 unarmed Kashmiris were
gunned down by the Dogra regime in Srinagar for demanding justice and
dignity. The incident marked the dawn of organized political resistance in
Kashmir — a struggle that continues under occupation and erasure.
“Each man who rose to complete the call to prayer was killed — 22 in all.
Their courage became the soul of Kashmir’s resistance,” said a KDC
spokesperson. “We call on the international community to recognize July 13
as Kashmir Martyrs’ Day and to defend the right to remember.”
Until 2019, July 13 was observed as an official holiday in Jammu and Kashmir.
Since India revoked the region’s special status, the day has been stripped of
public recognition, graveyards have been sealed, and mourning criminalized
— a violation of cultural and collective rights under international law.
The Kashmir Diaspora Coalition urges:
• The United Nations and OIC to recognize July 13 as a symbolic day
of remembrance.
• Human rights organizations to support the right to public mourning.
• The international media to report on the denial of memorial rights in
Kashmir.
“This is not just about the past,” the statement added. “It’s about Kashmir’s
present and future — a future that begins by remembering those who stood
up for justice in 1931.”
#KashmirMartyrsDay #July13 #RightToRemember #JusticeForKashmir