Srinagar, May 22 (KNS): Chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Muhammad Yasin Malik has been released from police custody after about six days of fresh incarceration, a spokesman said.
“From last three years, JKLF chairman has been in and out of jails and this year too has not been different. He was arrested on the first day of Ramazan and forced to spend first six days of Ramazan in police custody. During last Ramazan too, he had to spend almost full month in jail which is highly regrettable,” spokesman said in a statement issued to KNS.
He said that it has become a preferred pastime of the rulers and their police authorities to arrest and incarcerated JKLF chairman and as soon as anything happens anywhere, he is the first one to be put behind bars which actually shows the anti- democratic attitude of the rulers and their authorities.
While terming this state of affairs as making ‘a mockery’ of democracy and freedom of speech, the spokesman said that these frequent arrests and incarcerations have put Yasin Sahibs health in jeopardy which is fast deteriorating.
He said that the rulers and their authorities should at least have some respect for the holy month of Ramazan and should refrain from imposing harm to human beings.
A delegation of the kith and kin of many Kashmiri inmates languishing in different jails today visited JKLF office and met with JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik.
The delegation informed JKLF chairman about the ill-treatment meted out to Kashmiri prisoners in various jails of Jammu Kashmir and outside especially in the jails of Jammu region.
“Kashmiri inmates have been put dark cells under shabby conditions and besides mental torture are being subjected to physical abuse too. During holy month of Ramazan even Sehri and Iftari has become a tedious affair for these inmates who are facing worst kind of apathy at the hands of jail authorities,’ the statement said.
Delegation said that authorities at Udhampor Jail, Kuthuwa jail, Imphala Jammu jail and Hiranagar Jail have beaten all previous records of tyranny and oppression at said jails and besides other atrocities committed on them, these inmates are being forced to take Iftari and Sehri in solitary cells.
Delegation said that these jails have been turned into Abu-Ghareeb where even human dignity and religious freedom is on stake.
Malik on the occasion expressed solidarity with these victims and said that the rulers are even disregarding their own supreme court by shifting inmates to jails which are hundreds of kilometers away from their homes.
It is pertinent to mention that Supreme Court has ordered to keep prisoners in jails located as close as possible to their homes. “These inmates at least needed to be kept near their home so that their kith and kin were able to meet them, but to inflict more harm to them and their families; they have been sent to far off jails,” said JKLF chairman.
“This is actually trampling democratic norms and freedom of speech under military and police boots and irony is that all this is being done under the pretext of so-called democracy and peace,” said JKLF chairman.
Stressing upon the need to take a note of these gross human rights violations and plight of Kashmiri inmates, Malik appealed ICRC and other international human rights organization to save the lives of these inmates from the wrath of Indian.
While condemning the firing by Indian army on unarmed men and women, that too at Iftar time at DK Pora Shupian, JKLF chairman said that “occupational Army and forces whose hands are painted with the blood of our loved ones want Kashmiris to join their forced Iftari operation and when people at Shupian last evening refused to do so, they were showered with bullets and pellets injuring many of them including some women.”
“This firing on unarmed civilians shows the real face of Indian occupation which neither has any respect for religious sentiments of the people nor does care for the lives of human beings,” added JKLF chairman.
He said that instead of these Sadbhwana Iftari programs, Indian Army should hold some programs for their soldiers where the importance of human dignity and life is taught to them. (KNS)