JRL asks int’l rights bodies to ensure security of Kashmiri prisoners in Tihar jail

Srinagar: Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) on Tuesday appealed to the international rights bodies to take cognizance of the reports of thrashing of Kashmiri detainees, including the son of Hizb supremo Syed Salahuddin in Tihar jail.
In a statement, the JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik expressed serious concern over the plight of hundreds of Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Tihar and various jails in and outside the state.
They alleged that the jail authorities were badly treating all these prisoners in complete violation of jail manual.
“The ghastly act has put the lives of all Kashmiri political prisoners at risk,” they said.
They appealed to the international organizations, including United Nations, Human Rights Commission, Asia watch and Amnesty International to take note of the “inhuman and hostile treatment meted out to detainees lodged in Tihar jail.”
The leadership sought help from international agencies and asked to provide suitable treatment to those injured in recent thrashing incident and ensure their security and safety.
JRL while referring to Supreme court ruling, demanded shifting of prisoners, saying detainees are subjected to vengeance, and despite sufficient accommodation in local jails, they are shifted to outside jails and as such their families face immense difficulties to seek meeting with their wards.
“They even ignore the ruling of Supreme Court regarding prisoners wherein it has clearly directed state authorities to lodge detainees adjacent to their home cities,” said the leadership.
Criticizing authorities for their “callous approach”, JRL said: “It is extreme state sponsored oppression and their tall claims and rhetoric about humanity and democracy are mere hoax.”
Thrashing incident in Tihar jail is extremely “inhuman and immoral act”, the JRL claimed that these “coward attacks are being carried on the directions of the authorities.”
They strongly condemned the thrashing of Syed Shahid Yusuf in high security ward of Tihar jail, saying that “on behest of jail authorities, criminals are attacking and taking extreme steps against Kashmiri detainees.”
They said those claiming to be the champions of democracy are violating the basic norms of humanity while treating these detainees in total violations of norms set by international community.
JRL claimed that these “criminals have admitted that they are carrying out the orders of jail administration and attacking and injuring Kashmiri prisoners.”
The JRL said that Dr Gh Mohd Bhat, Ahtisham, Shazad Ahmad, Mohd Subhan, Ayaz Akbar, Raja Meraj u Din Kalwal, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Mohd Aslam Wani and Dr Waseem are lodged in the same ward where Shahid Yusuf and other detainees were attacked.
They asked the international human rights organizations to facilitate suitable treatment to those injured and ensure their security and safety.
“These detainees are not criminals involved in any offence but they represent political aspirations of their nation,” said the JRL, adding: “subjecting detainees to physical torture reflects the sectarian mindset of authorities.”
They said that such attacks won’t “break our resolve and we will pursue freedom mission till its logical end.”