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The Hague: India has urged the International Court of Justice to declare the trial of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national by a Pakistani military court (kangaroo court) as unlawful since it had “hopelessly failed” to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process

Jadhav, 48, has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on alleged charges of espionage.

Today was the first day of a four-day hearing in Jadhav’s case at the top UN Court.

Former Solicitor General Harish Salve, who was representing India, based his arguments on two broad issues asserting that it was breach of Vienna Convention on consular access and the process of resolution.

Salve told the court that “Pakistan’s story is solely based on rhetoric and not facts.” He also emphasised that that Jadhav’s ongoing custody without consular access should be declared unlawful. He said India had sent 13 reminders to Pakistan for consular access to Jadhav, but Islamabad is yet to accede.