Srinagar, Mar 13 (KNS): Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani today expressed deep anguish over the plight of detainees languishing in different jails in and outside of the valley.
“Despite court orders they are not being released,” Geelani said in a statement issued to KNS.
“Those lodged in different jails are not criminals but political prisoners who are being subject to detention for their political convictions and outlook,” he said and while blaming authorities, Geelani added that their detention is being prolonged on one pretext or the other.
Citing the treatment meted out to detainees, arrested by NIA, Geelani said that on pretext or the other they are harassed, intimidated and subjected to political vendetta.
Challenging the role of NIA, Geelani said that detaining pro-freedom people, leaders and activists is the government of India's admission that it has not been able to politically defeat the people's struggle for freedom in J&K. “And keeping in view the disputed nature of state, NIA has no role or jurisdiction to arrest or detain anyone on flimsy grounds,” Geelani added.
Geelani said that political prisoners are ill-treated and humiliated, for their affiliation with freedom struggle and while referring to recent episode wherein one detainee escaped from Srinagar Central jail, Geelani added that shifting jail mates to jails in far-flung areas is neither justified nor legal.
He quoting reports said that jail authorities treat them like that of criminals.
Lamenting at jail authorities in Kathua, Geelani said that jail mates are assaulted, ill-treated and compelled to cook and serve food for criminals.
He said that Kashmiri inmates are subjected to deprivation, medical treatment for those who require it is lacking, the inmates are deprived of contact with their near and dear ones and also other basic needs are denied.
While terming Kathua Jail a “torture chamber” Geelani further stated that “Kathua Jail, which has become a torture chamber, Kashmiri inmates are deprived of human contact for months together and added that even clothing and other items brought by their families are denied to reach to jail inmates.
Geelani demanded immediate shifting of all Kashmiri prisoners lodged in various outside jails to valley.
He said the health condition of Kashmiri detainees in Tihar Jail and other outside valley jails is deteriorating. “Both judiciary and executive are hand in glow and deliberately denying justice,” blamed Geelani.
He said that even when the prisoners lodged under the notorious PSA complete their term, police and related agencies are ready with another dossier to prolong their detention mostly under fictitious charges, thus prolong their detention period. “This amounts to punishment beyond prison time and is inhuman,” Geelani said.
Demanding immediate shifting of all detainees, Geelani said that these prisoners are not criminals and treatment meted to them is violation of human rights charter.
Geelani expressed his anguish over human rights group for their silence and asked ICRC, Asia Watch, Amnesty International and other Human Rights Organizations to come to the ‘rescue' of these detainees and impress India to treat detainees as per charter laid by international community.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference strongly condemned arrest of Mohammad Ashraf Laya and lodged him in police station Sadar and continuous detention Umar Aadil Dar, presently lodged in police station Nowgam. (KNS)