New Delhi, The Delhi High Court has denied parole to a Kashmiri man, Feroz Ahmed Bhat, who has been incarcerated for more than 20 years. Bhat was arrested in 2003 and is serving a life sentence related to his participation in the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the court justified its decision by expressing concerns that Bhat’s release could adversely affect the security of the area. Bhat had requested parole to visit his aging parents and to pursue marriage, which his lawyer emphasized as crucial given his long period of incarceration and his current age of approximately 44 years. Despite these personal pleas, the court declined to grant parole, citing broader security implications.