World Court orders stay of execution from Pakistan in former Indian Navy commander espionage case

The United Nations’ highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has voted in favor of a stay of execution for former Indian Navy commander Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav, who was convicted of espionage by Pakistan in 2017.

The ICJ ordered Pakistan to review the death sentence handed down following Jadhav’s alleged espionage and sabotage, after he entered Pakistan from Iran.

India petitioned the ICJ to intervene, claiming Jadhav had not been given a fair trial and was denied the right to choose his own lawyer in addition to being cut off from consular assistance by Pakistani authorities in violation of the Vienna Convention. It denies that Jadhav is a spy.

Relations between nuclear neighbors India and Pakistan have warmed slightly in recent days after several tense months following border skirmishes in the disputed region of Kashmir in February. 

The UN court has ordered a stay of execution pending the outcome of the case, though the ICJ has no official means of enforcing its ruling and it has not yet clearly established what would constitute an “effective review” of Jadhav’s sentencing.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!