Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai today strongly condemned the shifting of 75-year old incarcerated Hurriyat leader Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori from Kotbalwal jail to Haryana jail, terming it an ‘outrageous’ a step.
“Caging and confining senior leader at this age clearly indicates that the forces have lost their war in Kashmir and authorities, by shifting him to outside the state jail violated its own Supreme Court’s ruling as for as prisoners rights and confinement is concerned,” Sehrai said in a statement.
He urged the international community and international human rights organisations to come forward and raise their voice for the suffering humanity.
“Hundreds of Kashmiris have been held under administrative detention without being charged or even told what crimes they are suspected of having committed. Despite being a signatory to the Geneva Convention on political prisoners New Delhi observes in breach its international obligations by excessively relying on administrative detention. It imprisons people for committing ‘politically motivated offenses’, defining them as criminals or threat to state,” Sehrai said.
Demanding release of political prisoners, Sehrai said, “Putting hundreds in prison, including those who had been arrested before conducting elections, is sheer political vendetta.”
Referring to the Panchayat polls, Sehraie said, “Holding elections whether Panchayat or Parliament have no relevance and value for the people of Kashmir. It is in fact a mere eyewash and a means to hoodwink world community.”