Srinagar, June 17: The global Human Rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) has asked its members to write to the government of Jammu and Kashmir to seek release of Zaffar Shafi Hakeem, 19, from the police detention.
 The AI asked its members that teenager was at the risk of repeat detention order under PSA.
 “Hakeem was taken into custody immediately after being released from administrative detention on June 10, and there are possibilities of he being detained again,” AI’s campaigner for India, Bikaramjeet Batra told Greater Kashmir. 
While giving details, he said, Hakeem was arrested on January 28 this year by police in south Kashmir’s Islamabad (Anantnag) area. “He was held in administrative detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) from January 29 till June 10,” said Batra.
 He said that in the month of June, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir had found the detention unlawful and ordered his release. “Instead of being released Hakeem was arrested by the sleuths of Counter Insurgency Kashmir,” Batra said.
 “The police officials did not give his father any information on the alleged offences for which Zaffar Shafi Hakeem was being detained again. He has not been even produced before a  the magistrate.  His detention may therefore be without legal basis,” he added.
 Batra said the police told Hakeem’s father that he would be t aken to the Joint Interrogation Centre at Jammu for a few days before being shifted to Srinagar where he may be released after a few days.
 “However it is likely that a repeat administrative detention order will be passed to further hold  him (Hakeem) under the PSA,” Batra said. “I urge AI members to write to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s office to demand his immediate release, unless he is charged with a recognizably criminal offence and remanded in custody by a court”.
The AI has also demanded the state authorities not order the “repeat administrative detention of Hakeem”.
On the other hand the government said the release of Hakim was in the offing.
“I have talked to DIG south Kashmir. There are some pending legal formalities,” Minister for State Home, Nasir Aslam Wani told Greater Kashmir.
“We believe in next two days he will be released,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST