Kashmiri leadership lauds UN chief's call for release of IOK prisoners

Guterres' call for release of Kashmiri prisoners in Indian jails commendable, says Altaf Ahmed Bhat

ISLAMABAD: A senior Kashmiri leadership on Thursday lauded the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres' call for the release of Kashmiri prisoners in Indian Occupied Kashmir amid growing cases of the deadly novel coronavirus.

Senior Kashmiri Hurriyat leader and Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement (JKSM) President Altaf Ahmed Bhat, in a statement, thanked Guterres for his call for a very close look at the continued confinement of Kashmiri prisoners.

Bhat, while noting the poor hygiene and lack of medical facilities in Indian jails, quoted that, "Inmates and prison staff, who live in confined spaces and near others, remain extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. While the rest of the country is instructed to respect social isolation and hygiene rules, basic measures like hand washing – let alone physical distancing – are just not possible for prisoners."



He mentioned the joint statement by six human rights organisations. “The Secretary General believes that member states need to take a very close look at incarcerations during a time of COVID-19,” his spokesman, Stephane Dujarris said in reply to APP’s question about the joint call for the release of “arbitrarily arrested” Kashmiris by the Geneva-based World Organisation Against Torture, Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights, the Johannesburg-based CIVICUS, the Manila-based Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists, and the London-based Amnesty International.

Bhat showed concern over the rapid increase of coronavirus cases, saying Kashmiri prisons are highly prone for an outbreak because of 117% of occupancy rate, precarious hygienic conditions and inadequate health services.

He further said that the fascist Indian government despite listening or giving any heed to the international demands and appeals has been busy introducing new draconian laws for Occupied Kashmir.

He said that while the coronavirus has added to the lockdown, Nazist Modi, Amit Shah and Ajit Doval introduced illegal, forced domicile law to flood the demography of IOK.

"Indian state terrorism, draconian laws, Muslim killings, and persecution is based on Hindutva philosophy but they will never succeed, and Kashmiris will get freedom as per their aspirations."



He also demanded that the Kashmiri leaders including Dr Hameed Fayyaz, Zafar Akber Bhat, Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Massart Alam Butt and all other Kashmiri prisoners in Indian jails must be released unconditionally so that their lives could be saved during the deadly outbreak of contagion.

The JKSM president also appreciated the open letter from Kashmir Scholars Consultative Action Network to Secretary General of United Nations and a joint statement of  the Amnesty International, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, the World Alliance for Citizen Participation, International Commissions of Jurists, International Federation for Human Rights and World Organisation Against Torture for raising voice to release Kashmiri prisoners in Indian jails.

He also welcomed China's call for a peaceful solution to Kashmir dispute as per the resolutions of the United Nations.

Bhat mentioned Upkar Singh Rai's petition and thanked him for submitting the petition on the UK parliament's website to urge the UN to send peacekeepers to Kashmir and carry out a plebiscite.

While appealing to the United Nations, OIC, Amnesty International, WHO, he said that it is high time international organisations must step in and save Kashmiris from the onslaught of Indian barbarism, and coronavirus catastrophe. "There is an acute shortage of food, medicine, and medical supplies in Occupied Kashmir."

While the coronavirus cases are rising day by day, Kashmiris are suffering from Indian atrocities on one hand while from COVID-19 on another, he added.