Srinagar, March 02 (kno) : All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman, Syed Ali Geelani today expressed deep anguish over the plight of detainees languishing in different jails. “Despite court orders they are not being released,” Geelani, in a statement today, said.
Even those detained by British authorities during “Independence movement of India”, the detainees were logged in jails adjacent to their home localities and citing the treatment meted out to these detainees, Geelani said that then President of Indian National Congress was, even allowed to keep his secretary with him while in detention, added he.
Shifting detainees to outside state is political vendetta ,said Geelani and while lashing at authorities, added that those detained in Rajasthan, UP, West Bengal ,Tihar and other jails of far-flung areas in India, are facing immense agonies and difficulties ,saying that the vengeful treatment to which they are subjected during detention includes off and on solitary confinement, manhandling of detainees posing a grave threat to their lives, denying meeting with their families ,unavailability of medicines and medical care and substandard quality of food .
Geelani said that even the visitors and relatives who come to see them in jail are also intentionally harassed and tormented by the authorities.
All this is done in complete violation of the jail manual which lays emphasis on the honor and dignity of prisoners, added he. Those lodged in different jails are not criminals but political prisoners who are being subject to detention for their political convictions and outlook and while blaming authorities, Geelani added that their detention are being prolonged on one pretext or the other. Referring to “lengthy and snail’s pace of judicial proceedings of Indian courts”, Geelani said that, “I am very troubled for snail's-pace court proceedings and blamed judicial weakness for prolonging the detention period of political prisoners.
Both judiciary and executive are hand in glow and deliberately denying justice, blamed Geelani. He said that even when the prisoners lodged under the notorious PSA complete their term, police and related agencies are ready with another dossier to prolong their detention mostly under fictitious charges, thus prolong their detention period. Lamenting authorities for their wickedness and bullying, Geelani said that every detainee has a legal and moral right to challenge his detention, however the brutal executive is denying the justice and even killing detainees during custody. Referring to the recent gruesome incident wherein a detinue, Nazir Ahmad Chopan was killed by police during their custody, Geelani said that he was killed in broad day light and a concocted story was floated to cover up this unjustified and inhuman act. Reiterating his demand for impartial probe in said murder by UN War Tribunal, Geelani said that Nazir Ahmad Chopan was arrested in Sopor on January 9, 2018 along with other seven youths including Muzamil Ahmad Ganie, Tajamul Islam, Saleem Ahmad Beigh, Syed Tameez-ud-din, Nisar Ahmad Ganie, Naseer Ahmad Sheeri, Ghulam Nabi Mir and Mudasir Ahmad Mir, Geelani added, that we are very anxious and worried about their safety. Referring to Islamabad sub-jail, Geelani said authorities are subjecting prisoners to ill treatment and said that those lodged in Srinagar Jail authorities are shifted to far-flung jails. Syed Ali Geelani Friday hailing the sacrifices and the services of political prisoners said that “nation prays for their well-being and prosperity and we salute them for their steadfastness, persistence and commitment “and added that “apathetic, hostile and vengeful” behaviour against prisoners won’t break resolve and resilience of people, “instead it will boost commitment and upsurge morale of our prisoners”. Syed Ali Geelani in his appeal to people asked to take care of prisoner’s families and provide every possible support to effected families and those detained during ongoing freedom movement. Geelani said that Kashmiri political prisoners including Shabir Ahmad Shah, Masarat Aalam Bhat, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Raja Meraj-u-Din Kalwal, Peer Saif-ullah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Shahid-ul-Islam, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Kamran Yusuf, Shahid Yousuf, Javed Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Watali, Mohammad Aslam Wani, Dr Shafi Shariati, Dr Mohammad Qasim, Gh Qadir Bhat, Manzoor Ahmad , Tariq Ahmad, Meer Hafiz Ullah, Dr Gh Mohamad Bhat, Muzafar Ahmad Dar, Mohammad Yusuf Mir, Mohammad Yusuf Falahi, Gh Mohamad Khan Sopori, Ameer Hamza, Mohd Rafiq Ganai, Ab Ahad Parah, Shakil Ahmad, Raies Ahmad Mir, Ab Samad Inqilabi, Mohammad Assad Ullah Parey, Hakim Showkat, Molana Sarjan Barkati, Mohammad Ramzan Khan and hundreds of other are ‘’Prisoners of Conscience’’ and we pay our salute for their commitment . Meanwhile on a proposed programme of Joint Resistance Leaders, All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders Hakeem Abdul Rashid, Syed Bashir Indrabi, Syed Mohammad Shafi, Umar Aadil Dar, Rameez Raja, Bilal Ahmad Sidique, Molvi Bashir Irfani, Syed Imtiyaz Haider, Syed Imtiyaz Shah, Khawaja Firdous, Mohammad Yaseen Ataiee, Masooda Ji, Showkat Ahmad Khan, Sajad Ahmad Lone, Jan Mohammad Najar, Zahoor Ahmad Beigh, Abdul Ahad and Jasif Raja held a protest at Hyderpora against the plight of detainees languishing in different jails in and outside state.(KNO)