Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has issued an urgent plea to the United Nations and international human rights bodies, urging them to acknowledge and act upon the harsh conditions faced by Kashmiri political prisoners held in jails across occupied Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, an APHC spokesperson, in a statement made in Srinagar, highlighted the dire circumstances of these detainees, who are subjected to severe persecution by jail authorities due to their political beliefs. The spokesperson detailed the inhumane treatment faced by the prisoners, including the denial of essential medical services and legal rights, and described the judicial processes involving these detainees as deliberately protracted efforts to extend their imprisonment as a punitive measure for their advocacy for self-determination, peace, and justice in their homeland.
The APHC’s appeal specifically names numerous detainees, including APHC chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Aasiya Andrabi, and many others, who are reportedly enduring extreme conditions in various Indian prisons. The list underscores the broad scope of the issue, involving activists, human rights defenders, and political leaders alike.
In its call to action, the APHC salutes the resilience of these political prisoners, asserting that such victimization will not deter their struggle for their right to self-determination—a right acknowledged by the United Nations. The statement from the APHC seeks to draw international attention to what it describes as a critical human rights crisis, emphasizing the need for a concerted global response to address the injustices faced by Kashmiri detainees.
The APHC’s appeal to the UN and human rights organizations represents a significant plea for international oversight and intervention in the plight of Kashmiri political prisoners, urging the global community to recognize and respond to the ongoing violations of human rights in the region.