Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani Friday termed government announcement of releasing a few detainees on Eid as a joke and stressed for release of all prisoners.
574 Kashmiri youth without constitutional justification are languishing in local and other prisons of India and the majority of them are not being released and are subjected to political vengeance. 50 political prisoners who since last five to ten years have been in prison and equal number of youths have been sentenced for life imprisonment, Geelani said in a statement.
Muhammad Shabir, Raj Deen and three other pro-freedom youth from Kathua and Jammu have been awarded death sentences, while ignoring all norms. Masarat Alam Butt, Mir Hafiz Ullah, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Mohammad Rafiq Ganai, Shakeel Ahmad Bhat, Fayaz Ahmad, Nasser Abdullah, Nisar Ahmad Bhat and Shabir Ahmed Wani were booked five to nine times repeatedly under PSA for the same allegations, he said. Those sentenced for life imprisonment include Dr Mohammad Qasim Faktoo, Ghulam Qadir Bhat, Dr Mohammad Shafi Khan, Mohammad Ayub Dar, Mohammad Ayoub Mir, Nazir Ahmad Sheikh , Mohammad Amin Dar, Mohammad Sayeed Butt, Fayaz Ahmed Tantray, Noor Mohammad, Mohammad Amin Wani, Engineer Farooq Ahmad, Mohammad Ishaq Palla, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, Mushtaq Ahmed Malla, Feroz Ahmad Bhat and Javiad Ahmad Khan.
The Hurriyat (G) chairman said that the pro freedom personalities lodged in Tihar jail include leader of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Dr Tariq Ahmed Dar, Mohammad Amin Shah, Mohammad Hussain, Abdul Majid Magray and Farooq Ahmad Daga. He said that Kashmir is a political issue and figures among the states declared as conflict zones and as a matter of fact all those people related to this conflict are to be treated in the category of political prisoners and according to international law, prosecution under criminal laws and therefore the sentences awarded are not justified.
While demanding the immediate release of all detainees he said that it has been proved Omar Abdullah leads a most weak and incompetent administration and till date he is not able to release even a single prisoner.
All the matters are being dealt by Home Ministry of India and even a peon can oppose any move in this regard, he claimed.
While referring to the statement of SSP Srinagar wherein he had said that 15 percent of youth have been arrested and police is looking for remaining 85 percent, Geelani expressed his concern and said, It is ironical that on one hand the announcement with respect to a few prisoners are being announced and same time a fresh arrest drive has been started by Kashmir police. Authorities have imposed martial law like restrictions.
Geelani expressed his grief that callous policy in relation to prisoners is being implemented and added that Amir Hamza, Abdul Gani Bhat and Sheikh Altaf and other scores of pro freedom leaders were arrested after the Gool Ramban tragedy.
Meanwhile, Geelani has expressed his concern and grief against the use of pellet gun and expressed his sympathy with injured youth. He said that administration responsible for creating chaos and there is no justification of deployment of heavy contingent of CRPF and police and blamed that administration is creating a war like situation in city.
While justifying the resentment of youth Geelani said, Since these two forces were involved in large scale massacre in 2008 and 2010 and there is enough reason for hatred against these.
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