Srinagar: Kashmir High Court Bar Association on Friday urged authorities to order the release of all the detainees and political prisoners lodged in and outside the State of J&K including its President who is presently lodged Central Jail Tihar, New Delhi.
The request has been made in the face of the direction issued by the Supreme Court, impressing upon the authorities to constitute a high-powered committee with a view to direct release of prisoners in the face of the COVID-19 threat, which has resulted in global lockdown, a spokesman of the lawyers’ body said.
“Since the jails throughout India are mostly overcrowded, therefore, the Supreme Court noticing the potential threat to the lives of inmates, particularly those suffering from diabetes, hypertension and other life-threatening diseases, who have been found more susceptible to become victims of COVID-19”.
The Bar Association noticing that the President, Mian Abdul Qayoom, who is in his advanced age surviving on a single kidney, suffering from multiple chronic ailments which include diabetes, hypertension, severe nerve damage, 60 percent blockage in one of the arteries of heart, resulting in his frail immune system, is more prone to become the victim of the deadly virus with minimal chances of his survival.
The members also stated that at the time when the whole world has united to counter the deadly virus by maintaining social distance, it would be very prudent and appropriate for the authorities to release the detainees and undertrial political prisoners from their respective jails, either permanently or on parole, in order to save them from contracting the deadly virus.
The lawyers’ body also made a fervent appeal to the authorities that all these detainees and undertrial political prisoners be released immediately and forthwith as the release of the prisoners cannot brook any delay. ”The members were also informed by the relatives of detainees lodged under PSA, that their Habeas Corpus Petitions have been reserved for judgments since long, but the judgments have not been announced till date, and, pleaded to request The Chief Justice of J&K, to make necessary arrangements for the announcement of their judgments, so that they too are released, without any delay.”
