Islamabad: The Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) has made an appeal to international leaders, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Organization of Islamic Cooperation Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, to focus on the conditions of Kashmiri detainees in Indian jails and in the region of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the JKDFP, through letters sent to the aforementioned organizations, has drawn attention to the treatment faced by Kashmiri political prisoners and human rights activists. The correspondence highlights that thousands of Kashmiris have been detained under stringent laws, particularly following the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status by the Indian government on August 5, 2019.
The communication outlines the abuses experienced by detainees, citing instances of torture, solitary confinement, lack of medical care, and cases of sexual harassment. The health of well-known figures like Shabir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Asiya Indrabi, and Khurram Parvez has reportedly declined due to extended detention periods. Recent measures, such as the denial of phone and electronic communication privileges for inmates in Tihar Jail, have worsened the situation.
JKDFP Acting Chairman Mehmood Ahmed Saghar accused the BJP-led Indian government of using detention as a tool to suppress dissent and stifle the Kashmiri people’s pursuit of political and human rights. He voiced concerns over the global community’s insufficient attention to these issues, despite India’s commitments under the Geneva Convention.
The party has called upon the international community to urge India to ensure the humane treatment of detainees, conduct thorough investigations into allegations of mistreatment, and release all political prisoners. The JKDFP also underscored the necessity of safeguarding the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri population and called on the UN and OIC to actively engage in addressing the ongoing human rights challenges in the region.