Srinagar: Kashmir High Court Bar Association on Saturday said that life and liberty of the Kashmiri political prisoners lodged in different jails, both inside and outside the State, was in danger.
“Every day, in one or the other jail, they are either being beaten or else tortured and humiliated and furthermore, the court orders relating to their release are violated with impunity and thereby further pain and agony is immorally and unethically inflicted on them,” said the lawyers’ body in a statement issued here.
The Bar said that the issue should be discussed with members of other Bar Associations of the State, so as to find a solution to the problem.
“Even though the High Court quashes the orders of detention of the (detainees) but those orders are also being disobeyed by the authorities and the High Court despite being informed of the disobedience of the court order, is also not taking any action against the authorities concerned, which has resulted in the erosion of the faith of the people in the institution of justice.”
The lawyers’ body also strongly condemns the thrashing of Kashmiri and other Muslim prisoners lodged in Tihar Jail, New Delhi and asked the jail authorities to ensure their safety and security at all costs.
The lawyers’ body also stated that more than 45 Kashmiri prisoners have been sentenced to life imprisonment and most of them have served twenty years’ incarceration in prison but are not being released though in the State of J&K, the period of life imprisonment is only 20 years.
“In terms of the Jail Manual and the Prisoners Act, they are entitled to be released immediately after the completion of 20 years but the provisions of the Jail Manual and the Prisoners Acts are observed in breach and flouted brazenly,” the lawyers’ body said.
The Bar Association said those who are illegally and improperly arrested and are booked in a case, are not released when they are granted bail but are detained and thereafter booked in another case to perpetuate their illegal detention.
“This practice is every time repeated, without anyone taking notice of the same.”
The Bar Association announced that it has decided to register their protest against the ill-treatment meted out to them by abstaining from court work on November 27.
The joint resistance leadership has also called for the strike in Kashmir Valley on Monday against the ill-treatment meted out with the prisoners.
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