‘Pakistan violated Vienna Convention’: India makes its arguments in the Kubhushan Jadhav case

India presented its arguments in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case today at the International Court of Justice in Hague. The four-day public hearings of former Indian naval officer will have Pakistan make its first round of hearing on Tuesday. Jadhav was charged with spying for Indian intelligence agencies in 2016 and awarded the death sentence in Islamabad.

Speaking for Jadhav, senior advocate Harish Salve stated that his purported confession was coaxed. Salve said the case related “solely to violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention by Pakistan”. He added that India had always offered consular access to Pakistan even when its citizens have been caught red-handed in acts of terrorism.

Salve stated: “If Article 36 of the Vienna Convention grants rights of consular access in all cases, including where allegations of such kind (of espionage) are levelled, then demanding those rights cannot be an abuse of those very rights.”