Delhi HC seeks reply from Centre, jail on Asiya ‘s plea against solitary confinement

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought response of the Centre and the prison authorities on a plea by Kashmiri separatist leader Aasiya Andrabi, arrested in a case of allegedly waging war against the country, challenging her solitary confinement.
Besides Andrabi, chief of Dukhtaran-e-Milat, her associates Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen have also approached the high court for being kept in solitary confinement and allegedly being denied basic human rights.
The three accused, arrested earlier this year, are currently lodged in Tihar jail here under judicial custody.
Justice Najmi Waziri sought response of the Union Home Ministry and the Delhi government through additional inspector general (prisons) on the petition and listed the matter for further hearing on January 15.
In the petition filed through advocates Dhruv Tamta and Shariq Iqbal, the three women accused claimed that they were being denied basic human rights including the right to medical treatment and were refused medicines and spectacles.
They sought that they be immediately shifted from solitary confinement to ordinary cells and be provided with proper food and medical relief.
They also sought direction to the jail authorities to allow them to have access to all the facilities which are available to other under trial prisoners.
Andrabi and the two other accused have been chargesheeted by the NIA for allegedly “waging war” against the country by spreading hate speeches using Internet platforms and collecting funds for her activities.