Srinagar: Lamenting over the deteriorating health of the caged Kashmiri prisoners in different jails all across India, Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Geelani Wednesday said that 14000 people, mostly teenagers and political workers have been detained under FIRs only since 2009.
Addressing a press conference at his Hyderpora residence Geelani said that hundreds of prisoners are languishing in state and outside jails of India. He said 60 prisoners are languishing in District Jail Kotbalwal Jammu alone.
The rest of the prisoners in the state are languishing in District jail Amphala Jammu (15), District Jail Khutwa Jammu (18), District Jail Hiranagar Jammu (5), District Jail Udhampur Jammu (18), District Jail Kishtwar Jammu (41), District Jail Reyasi Jammu (15), District Jail Poonch (15), District Jail Dangri (Rajouri), Central Jail Srinagar (130), District jail Baramulla (15), District jail Kupwara (8), District jail Islamabad Mattan (8), JIC Kashmir Humhama Budgam (5) and Police Station STF Humhama (15).
119 prisoners have been detained in various jails outside the state as well, he said, including 64 in Delhis Tihar Jail, 11 in Rajasthan Jaipur Jail, 4 in Jodhpur Jail, 3 in Ahmadabad Jail, 17 in Sangroor Jail, 3 in Agra Jail, 2 in Gazi Abad Jail, 2 in Bangalore and 3 in Ghaziabad Jail.
He said since November, several PSAs were slapped against the leaders and political activists, including on Masarat Aalam Bhat, Showkat Ahmad Dar Kulgam, Fayaz Ahmad Rather, Mohammad Amin Parray, Mudasir Maqbool Radwani, Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh, Tariq Ahmad Bhat, Zubair Ahmad Turay, Asadullah Parray, Zahoor Ahmad Kana, Bilal Ahmad Mahand and Mushtaq Ahmad.
Geelani said since 2009, 14,000 FIRs have been filed against the youth and political activists across valley. He said that total 38 life convicts are behind the bars at the moment.
Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Geelani castigated the Mufti Sayeed government for unleashing arrest spree and said that the state is being run at the behest of brute force. Lambasting the Muftis Battle of Ideas, he said that Mufti has unleashed terror in every nook and corner of the state and has left no stone unturned to stay in power.
Mufti, when not in power, had promised of providing political space to all shades of opinion, however soon after coming into power, he has trampled the voices of Hurriyat leadership and Youths across the state, he said.
Geelani said that 72 draconian PSAs (Public Safety Act) have been slapped on political workers of Hurriyat and other youth since Mufti took over as the puppet CM of the state. 14000 people mostly teenagers and political workers have been detained under FIRs only since 2009. The Hurriyat Chief said that since this past November, 12 leaders and political activists have been detained under PSA. Geelani lambasted Mufti for slapping another PSA on incarcerated Muslim League chairperson and senior Hurriyat leader Masarat Alam Bhat.
Geelani said the government has started an arrest spree across Kashmir by detaining political leaders and youths. The octogenarian leader said that the government is arresting youth and political leaders on flimsy grounds and lodging them in different jails and police stations across the state. He termed it a human rights violation. I appeal the human rights organisations to take a strong note of the human rights violations in the state and help Kashmiris to put an end to it. The senior Hurriyat leader said that the Mufti Govt is even denying seminars on Islam.
We had proposed a seminar on Islam, Denouncing Terrorism, but the preachers of battle of ideas didnt allow it to take place and even detained dozens of Hurriyat activists to foil the seminar.
Geelani on the occasion also condemned the act of terrorism in France that killed more than 130 people. Islam in no way promotes terrorism. Killing innocents to take revenge of something that they didnt do is terrorism, Geelani said while reacting to the attacks of France in Syria.
Geelani said whatever is happening in Palestine, Iraq and Syria are worst forms of terrorism. Whatever is happening in Kashmir is also a form of Indian state terrorism, he said.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
