Hurriyat forum condemns fresh ‘arrest spree’ in Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: The Hurriyat forum, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has strongly condemned the fresh “arrest spree” in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, calling it “unjustified, undemocratic and vengeful”.

The Hurriyat forum, in a statement issued in Srinagar, said it is extremely unfortunate that on one hand, basic human rights were continuously being trampled through military might in occupied Kashmir, and on the other, hundreds of youths, respectable citizens, political leaders and activists who were arrested before and after August 5, 2019, continue to languish in jails, which is extremely condemnable and must be a matter of serious concern for the human rights organisations, the Kashmir Media Service reported.

The statement also expressed serious concern over the continued house arrest of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and detention of several other political leaders including Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Shahid-ul-Islam, Altaf Shah, Nayeem Khan, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Merajuddin Kalwal, Shahid Yousuf, Shakeel Ahmad, Fehmeeda Sofi and Naheeda Nasreen. The Hurriyat forum also condemned the re-arrest of Sarjan Barkati who was released after four years in October, last year. It said that silencing the people’s voices by such policies of repression is unacceptable.

It said the world community, justice-loving people and the international human rights organisations should raise voice against the aggression and human rights violations taking place in occupied Kashmir.