Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: ICJ to pronounce its verdict tomorrow

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is going to pronounce its verdict on the Kulbhushan Jadhav case on Thursday, three days after it heard arguments presented by India and Pakistan.

According to government sources, the international court will give its verdict around 3.30 pm (IST) on Thursday.

During its submission, India had demanded the immediate suspension of Jadhav’s death sentence, expressing fears that Pakistan could execute him even before the hearing at the ICJ was over.

India’s forceful submission was made as the ICJ began hearing the case of the 46-year-old former Navy officer, who was arrested on March 3 last year and sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and subversive activities.

The Jadhav case was taken to the world court on May 8 by India, which accused Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention and conducting a “farcical trial” for convicting Jadhav without a “shred of evidence”.

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On its part, Pakistan told the ICJ that Vienna Convention provisions on consular access were not intended for a “spy” involved in terror activities and charged India with using the world body as a stage for “political theatre” in the Jadhav case.

The two neighbours last had a face-off at the ICJ 18 years ago when Islamabad sought its intervention over the shooting down of its naval aircraft.