An Indian court has sentenced Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment, while two of her associates, Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen, were sentenced to 30 years in prison under the infamous Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Asiya Andrabi and two other women rejected the charges in court and pleaded not guilty.

According to foreign media reports, the verdict was delivered by a special court in New Delhi.

The three women had been convicted earlier this year in January on charges of links with a banned organisation.

Legal experts and Kashmiri leaders have often accused New Delhi of invoking terror charges to criminalise the movement for self-determination as well as crush dissent.

The case relates to the group Dukhtaran-e-Millat, which has long advocated for the right to self-determination for Kashmiris and was banned by the Indian government in 2004.

The special court found the women guilty under anti-terror laws and other sections of the Indian Penal Code, including charges of conspiracy and waging war against the state.

Prosecutors alleged that the women were involved in promoting separatist ideology and organising activities in the region.

Critics argue that such cases raise serious questions about justice and basic rights, especially when it comes to Kashmiri leaders.

The case is also being seen in the wider context of the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir, where grave violations of human rights by the Indian army have been going on for years.

Asiya Andrabi was arrested in 2018 and has remained in custody ever since.

Observers say this is not an isolated case. In recent years, several well-known Kashmiri leaders have faced similar high-profile trials.

For instance, Yasin Malik was sentenced to life in prison in 2022 on comparable charges.