Srinagar, July 17 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, the Hurriyat forum led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has demanded release of all illegally detained Kashmiris in view of the rising positive cases of COVID-19 in jails and detention centres across the territory.
The Hurriyat forum in a statement issued in Srinagar expressed serious concern over the worrying situation across the world in general and occupied Kashmir in particular due to alarming increase in novel coronavirus cases.
It said that there had been over one hundred COVID-19 positive cases in Islamabad district jail where mostly youth and those associated with pro-freedom parties had been detained.
“With the threat of COVID-19 looming large, the families of Kashmiri political leaders, and thousands of youth who were arrested on the eve of 5th August 2019 and other Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Jails of Kashmir Valley and other prisons including Kot Bhalwal, Jammu, Kathua, Rajasthan, Haryana, Tihar etc. are very much worried about the health and safety of their detained relatives. Under such circumstances, they all must be released forthwith,” it said.
The Hurriyat forum also reiterated its appeal to the people to follow in letter and spirit the SOPs and guidelines related to COVID-19 laid down by health experts as the number of positive cases and deaths due to the virus have increased manifold. “By taking precautionary measures, we can succeed in overcoming the challenge posed by the outbreak, the statement said. It asked the people to avoid venturing out unnecessarily.