SRINAGAR:Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Spokesperson Advocate Arshad Iqbal has strongly condemned the ongoing arrests of Kashmiri youth, the mistreatment of women, and the continued persecution of the pro-freedom leadership and young people in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Advocate Arshad Iqbal expressed grave concern over the continued torture, harassment and inhumane treatment of Kashmiri political leaders and youth in Indian prisons. He said these actions were part of a systematic attempt to suppress the legitimate political aspirations of the Kashmiri people and silence their demand for the right to self-determination.
The DFP Spokesperson said that Shabir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Masarat Alam Butt, Hamid Fayyaz, Zafar Akbar Butt, Naeem Ahmad Khan and Mushtaq-ul-Islam, along with senior Hurriyat leader Mian Abdul Qayoom and thousands of Kashmiri youth, continue to endure imprisonment and severe hardships in Indian jails. Kashmiri women leader Aasiya Andrabi and approximately 100 other Kashmiri women are also reportedly detained in various Indian prisons and face serious hardships. Several senior leaders are between 70 and 80 years of age and are reportedly suffering from serious health problems. The continued detention of these leaders, youth and women, coupled with concerns over access to adequate medical care and basic human rights, is deeply alarming and demands urgent attention from the international community.
Advocate Arshad Iqbal also expressed serious concern over the blatant disregard for judicial orders, stating that even when Indian courts grant bail or order the release of detainees, the authorities and law-enforcement agencies continue to keep Kashmiri leaders and youth behind bars through fresh cases, repeated arrests and other coercive measures.
He said that disregarding judicial orders and depriving detainees of their lawful freedom undermines India's claims of upholding the rule of law and respecting democratic principles. No government or law-enforcement agency should be allowed to place itself above the law or use legal institutions as instruments of political persecution.
The DFP spokesperson said that harassment of women, arbitrary arrests of youth and the continued targeting of political leadership constitute serious violations of fundamental human rights and internationally recognised legal principles.
He urged the Indian government to immediately end arbitrary arrests, torture, harassment and the inhumane treatment of detainees; ensure compliance with judicial orders; provide adequate medical facilities to all political prisoners; and release those detained in violation of their fundamental rights.
Advocate Arshad Iqbal also called upon the United Nations, international human rights organisations and the international community to take serious notice of the deteriorating human rights situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and hold the Indian authorities accountable for their actions.
Reiterating the party's resolve, the DFP Spokesperson said that repression, imprisonment and intimidation cannot extinguish the Kashmiri people's legitimate struggle for their right to self-determination. He emphasised that a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people, remains essential for lasting peace and stability in the region.