Delhi court convicts Hurriyat leader Aasiya Andrabi in fabricated case Sentencing of Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief, two associates due on Jan 17
New Delhi: A court in New Delhi has convicted senior Hurriyat leader and Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief, Aasiya Andrabi, in a politically motivated case registered under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court is scheduled to announce her sentence on January 17.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court convicted Aasiya Andrabi along with her two associates, Fehmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, under Sections 18 and 38 of the black law UAPA. The trio was accused of involvement in alleged criminal conspiracy and of “waging war against India” through so-called hate speeches. The case was heard at Patiala House Court.
The NIA, India’s notorious investigative agency, arrested Aasiya Andrabi in April 2018. Rights groups have consistently called the case as fabricated and politically-driven, terming it part of a broader crackdown on pro-freedom voices in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Aasiya Andrabi founded the women-led pro-freedom organization Dukhtaran-e-Millat in 1987. The BJP-led Indian government has banned Dukhtaran-e-Millat, along with several other pro-freedom organizations in IIOJK.
It is pertinent to note that Aasiya Andrabi’s husband, Ashiq Hussain Faktoo, has also been imprisoned for the past three decades. He was awarded life imprisonment in 2003 in a fabricated murder case. After spending over 20 years in detention, he approached the High Court seeking release. However, the court rejected his plea and converted his life sentence into imprisonment for the remainder of his life.
