ICJ to announce final verdict in Kulbhushan Jadhav case later this month

Kulbhushan Jadhav is an Indian national who was abducted by Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from Iran and later a Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to him on espionage charges.

New Delhi/Islamabad: The International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, Netherlands, will announce its final decision in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case later this month.  

The final oral hearing in the case took place from February 18th to 21st, 2019 at the international court during which both India and Pakistan presented their arguments.

Kulbhushan Jadhav is an Indian national who was abducted by Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from Iran and later a Pakistani military court awarded death sentence to him on alleged espionage charges.

Speaking on the issue on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, ''Oral submissions have been made in the case. The verdict has to be announced by the International Court of Justice. The date has to be announced by them.''

India has been demanding consular access to Jadhav since 25 March 2016 when the High Commission of India in Islamabad was first informed about his custody with the Pakistan authorities. 

Islamabad has so far refused to provide consular access to Jadhav. India went to the world court on 8th May 2017 and filed a case against Pakistan for “for egregious violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963” and got a stay on his hanging.

On 18 May 2017, the ICJ delivered its order asking Pakistan not to go ahead with his execution.

The ICJ order said, "Pakistan shall take all measures at its disposal to ensure that Jadhav is not executed pending the final decision in these proceedings and shall inform the Court of all the measures taken in implementation of the present order." 

India, in its application, has asked the ICJ for suspending Jadhav's death sentence. 

On December 25, 2017, Pakistan allowed Kulbhushan's mother and wife to meet him in Islamabad, an event that became a media circus after Pakistani Foreign Ministry officials removed the footwear and 'mangalsutra' of Kulbhushan's wife.

Kulbhushan Jadhav Case Timeline 

25th March 2016: India informed about the custody of Kulbhushan 

10 April 2017: Jadhav awarded death sentence by Pakistan Military Court

8 May 2017: India approaches the International Court of Justice (ICJ) 

9 May 2017: ICJ Stays execution 

15 May 2017: Oral hearing 

18 May 2017: ICJ delivers its Order 

25 Dec 2017: Jadhav's mother and wife visit him in Islamabad

28 Dec 2017: EAM Sushma briefs Parliament about their meeting with Jadhav

18th to 21st Feb 2019: Oral hearing and presentation of arguments by India & Pak.