National Conference on Sunday demanded immediate release of the incarcerated party leaders, other detainees and called for swift action by the government to prevent spread of COVID19 in prisons across the country.
The party MP Hasnain Masoodi expressed commiseration withscores of families whose kith-and-kin were languishing in various detentioncenters in and outside J&K.
He said the families were worried, particularly in wake ofthe COVID19 outbreak. “Mostly coming from the underprivileged sections ofsociety the families find it difficult to meet their loved ones servingdetention,” he said, in a statement.
The pandemic has added to the worries of these families.”The lockdown has effectively cut any chance of Kashmiri prisoners locked indifferent jails outside J&K to meet their families, hence adding to themiseries at the both ends. The anxiety level of such families is high,” Masoodisaid.
He said the inmates languishing in various detention centerswere facing shortage of sanitary material to stem the spread of the virus.
“Our party leaders including General Secretary Ali MuhammadSagar and party functionary Hilal Ahmad Lone have been slapped with the PSA andare presently lodged in detention centers whereas our provincial PresidentNasir Aslam Wani, chief spokesperson Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, women’s wingPresident Shameema Firdous, senior leaders Choudhary Ramzaan, Muhammad ShafiUri, AR Rather continue to remain under house arrest. These as well as scoresof other detainees are the ones who have nurtured democracy and democraticinstitutions,” he said.
“The COVID-19 outbreak has the jails across the world onhigh alert, with authorities stepping up inmate screening, sanitation in jailscells and following the protocol, but it seems to be a distant hope here,” hesaid.
He sought the release of all detainees languishing in jailin and outside J&K. “Incarcerated leaders should be allowed to reunite withtheir families, who could take better care of them. Scores of other detaineesincluding students, trade union leaders, and political activists should also bereleased,” he said.