Mirwaiz Umar voices concern over ‘plight’ of J&K prisoners; asks for their hassle-free meetings with kin
Mirwaiz pointed out that Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees right to life and personal liberty which, as per legal professionals and court interpretations, includes the right of a prisoner to meet the family members
Srinagar:�Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and chairman of separatist Hurriyat Conference alliance Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday alleged that while the region’s political prisoners are lodged not only in unfavourable environment in various outside jails, but they are also being denied their right to have hassle-free interviews with members of their families and friends.
“The Kashmiri prisoners lodged in various outside jails including Tihar jail are not being allowed to meet even their family members, not to talk about close friends and other legitimate callers as frequently or as freely they are entitled to as per the law,” he said while speaking to this newspaper. He added, “Most of these people are under incarceration for the past many years and the separation has rendered devastating effects on their families. The hassle-free meetings at intervals between them can provide mental peace and solace to both and this right of these prisoners must be respected.”
The Mirwaiz pointed out that Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the right to life and personal liberty which, as per legal professionals and court interpretations, includes the right of a prisoner to meet the family members and other legitimate callers including lawyers. He said that as per the Supreme Court of India ruling even a condemned prisoner is entitled to meet his family members and friends as well as lawyers and doctors like any other convict in jail. “But in the cases of even many Kashmiri undertrials and those who are serving preventive detentions this right is being frequently violated or impeded on various pretext”, he lamented.
Earlier in a post on ‘X’, the Mirwaiz termed as “very distressing” a news report saying that the Tihar Jail authorities have arbitrarily withdrawn phone call and e-mulaqat facilities (communicating with family and friends via video conferencing) to political prisoners in custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA). “Besides the reports of health conditions of many political prisoners, especially the elderly in jails, is a matter that worries not just their families but all people. The policy of severity in dealing with Kashmiris is a zero-sum game,” he said.
The Mirwaiz voiced his concern also on media reports about the deteriorating health of J&K Awami Itehad Party (AIP) leader and Lok Sabha MP of Baramulla Sheikh Abdur Rashid who has been shifted to New Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi after his health deteriorated on eighth day of his hunger strike in Tihar Jail on Friday. Mr. Rashid,56, who is popularly known as Engineer Rashid, has been lodged in Tihar jail since August 2019 when the NIA arrested him in an alleged money laundering and terror funding case. He is demanding that he may be allowed to attend the Parliament to meet the aspirations of the people who elected him. On Friday, the Delhi High Court reserved its verdict on a plea filed by him seeking interim bail, or alternatively, custody parole, to attend the ongoing Parliament session.
The Mirwaiz said that he, once again, urges the Government of India to release all political prisoners including the leadership, lawyers, civil society members, media personnel and youth and “at least while they are in jails to respect and restore their rights as per the law”.
He added, “Also it is the responsibility of the elected government in J&K to honour the commitment in its (election) manifesto and work for the release and relief of these prisoners.”�
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