APHC voices concern over plight of illegally detained Hurriyat leaders, activists
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has expressed grave concern over the plight of Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders, activists and youth who remain illegally detained in prisons and detention centres under fabricated cases, stating that India is subjecting them to large-scale political victimization.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, in a statement issued in Srinagar, said that the only “crime” of the detained leaders is that they demand freedom from illegal Indian occupation and the right to self-determination. He said India has kept them behind bars for years under draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Minhas said that more than 3,000 Kashmiris, including APHC Chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, and Aasiya Andrabi, are currently languishing in different jails in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and various parts of India. He added that the detainees are being deprived of basic facilities, including proper medical care, while jail authorities often delay their court appearances to prolong their illegal detention. Due to inadequate food and lack of medical and other essential facilities, many detainees have developed serious health complications.
Paying tribute to the courage and resilience of the Kashmiri detainees, he said India has failed to break their resolve despite prolonged incarceration and physical and psychological torture.
The APHC spokesman also strongly condemned the fresh restrictions imposed by the occupying authorities and the recent arrests of a large number of youths. He said India, which claims to be the world’s largest democracy, has completely deprived the people of IIOJK of their fundamental right to freedom of expression.
It is worth mentioning that the authorities in the occupied territory imposed strict restrictions to prevent protests against the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while hundreds of youths have been arrested for participating in demonstrations.
