DFP urges UN, human rights bodies to act on Kashmiri prisoners’ plight
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) has expressed grave concern over the plight of Kashmiri prisoners languishing in Indian jails, demanding their immediate release.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in a statement issued in Srinagar, DFP spokesman Advocate Arshad Iqbal highlighted the Indian authorities’ criminalization of political dissent in the territory, leading to the incarceration of Kashmiri activists. He cited prominent leaders like Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Mussarat Aalam Butt, and Syeda Aasia Andrabi, who’ve been jailed for years on fabricated charges for advocating Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
Iqbal urged the United Nations, Organizaiton of Islamic Cooperation, European Union, and human rights organizations to intervene, citing denial of basic amenities and prolonged detention through denied bail pleas. He warned of “far-reaching consequences” if Kashmiri leaders’ lives are undermined, especially with a petition seeking Yasin Malik’s death penalty.
“International institutions must act to save these leaders’ lives and ensure their release,” Iqbal said.
