SRINAGAR: In the troubled region of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), over four thousand Kashmiris find themselves in dire straits.
This staggering number includes leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), human rights activists, journalists, youth, students, and religious scholars, all detained for daring to demand their inalienable right to self-determination and for bringing to light the rampant human rights violations committed by Indian troops in the region.
A recent report by the Kashmir Media Service paints a grim picture of their plight. Most of these detainees, even women, are subjected to draconian laws, namely the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and endure the harsh conditions of complete isolation in Indian jails.
Among these detainees are some residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir who inadvertently crossed the Line of Control (LoC) on different occasions. The punitive actions taken against them serve as a stark reminder of the harsh consequences faced by those who inadvertently step into this perilous boundary.
Under the current BJP-RSS regime, there has been a vindictive policy of transferring more Hurriyat leaders, activists, and youth from IIOJK to far-off jails inside India. This calculated move is designed not only to weaken their resolve in the ongoing freedom movement but also to inflict emotional and financial hardships upon the families of the detainees.
Tragically, the BJP-led Indian regime has a dark history of killing imprisoned Kashmiri youth in staged encounters. This brutality extends even to senior leaders of APHC, such as Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Altaf Ahmed Shah, who lost their lives during their incarcerations. Shockingly, even a mentally challenged resident of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Tabarak Hussain, who unintentionally crossed the LoC in Rajouri district, was not spared and met a tragic end in the custody of the Indian army.
The report also sheds light on the ongoing illegal detentions of Kashmiri journalists, including Asif Sultan, Fahad Shah, Irfan Mehraj, and Sajad Gul, who face tremendous hardships for simply reporting the truth. Prominent human rights defenders like Khurram Pervaiz also remain incarcerated, their voices stifled by the oppressive policies of the Indian government.
In the face of these grave injustices, Hurriyet leaders are fervently appealing for the release of all political prisoners. They urge the international community to exert greater pressure on India to recognize the inalienable right to self-determination for Kashmiris and to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute through peaceful means.
