Srinagar, Feb 06: Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Muhammad Yasin Malik was detained on Wednesday after he took out a protest march to demand release of political prisoners.
Malik along with his dozens of his supporters amid pro-freedom slogans took out a protest rally from party office at Abiguzar. However, police did not allow them to move ahead and bundled Malik into already awaiting police vehicle to Kothibagh police station here this afternoon.
The rally was aimed at highlighting the pathetic plight of Kashmiri prisoners languishing in various jails in and outside the state.
Before his arrest, Malik while talking to media alleged that the political prisoners were not treated well in the jails.
He said the government despite court orders protracts the “illegal detention” of Kashmiri prisoners, thus making them to suffer immensely in jails.
“Even Hurriyat leaders are being shifted to outside state jails. This government never complies with the orders of its own judiciary. On one hand the court quashes PSA while on the other agencies charge prisoners with fresh cases,” Malik told reporters before being detained.
Citing example of Hurriyat-G leader and Muslim League chairman, Masarat Alam Bhat, he said the court quashed his PSA several times; however the police again booked him under same “draconian law”.
He said the government should respect prisoners’ rights and treat them as per the jail manuals.
He also said the global rights bodies must take note of the “ill-treatment being meted out to prisoners in jails” and impress upon the government of India to respect prisoners’ rights.
“This is unfortunate that Masarat Alam whose PSA was quashed several times by the High Court has been booked under same draconian law for the 35th time. We demand release of all prisoners whose condition has deteriorated due to continuous detention,” he added.
