Mehbooba asks: ‘Are we living in martial law times?’

Peoples Democratic Party president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday expressed serious concern over alleged violation of prisoners’ rights at the Srinagar central jail and “use of brute force against protesting inmates”.

According to a PDP statement issued here, Mehbooba, whiletalking to reporters in Wahabpora here, where she was addressing a publicmeeting, said that it looks like the government of India “wants to turn theSrinagar central jail into another Guantanamo Bay”, a US military prison camp.

   

“Prisoners are entitled to fundamental human rights. Use ofbrute force to quell protests after alleged desecration of Quran is outrightviolation of such rights. Government of India wants to turn Kashmir into anopen air prison and convert normal jails into Guantanamo,” the PDP presidentalleged.

She also lashed out at the authorities (sic) for “creating asense of siege which saw a sub-divisional magistrate being roughed up by armypersonnel in south Kashmir”.

She demanded action against those involved in the incident,the statement read.

“There are reports that a sub-divisional magistrate, along with his some of his staff members, has been roughed up by some security personnel and even their mobile phones have been damaged. 

Such an unruly behaviour has become a norm. I condemn this high-handedness and seek exemplary punishment against those found guilty,” the statement quoted Mehbooba as having said.

“Earlier we saw a cancer patient being stopped and notallowed to travel on the highway. Now we are told he is no more. God knows whatGovernor sahib has turned the whole thing into. Are we living in martial lawtimes?” she asked, according to the statement.

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