Fwd: [bangla-vision] Geelani seeks release of prisoners

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From: Habib Yousafzai <yousafzai49@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 9, 2011 at 2:57 AM
Subject: [bangla-vision] Geelani seeks release of prisoners

 

Geelani seeks release of prisoners

Announces district wise rallies from May 13, urges people to observe shutdown on May 14

UMER MAQBOOL

Srinagar, May 8: The Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Sunday announced a campaign to press for the release of Kashmiri detainees by calling for a complete shutdown on May 14 and district wise rallies.

"There would be complete shutdown on May 14 to press for release of the Kashmiri detainees. We will also launch a district-wise campaign which will begin from Shopian on May 13 against the arrests and withdrawal of forces, revocation of draconian laws, including the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act," Geelani said, while addressing a seminar "Oppressed behind the bars-Why and their plight," organized by Hurriyat(G). 

Geelani said that 1465 persons including the under-trials are languishing in different jails in and outside state. "Our legal cell has received 276 applications from the kith and kin of those who were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) in 2009, 2010. About 1320 persons were bailed out and 4800 FIRs were lodged against the people from May 2010. Besides

148 challans were filed against the political prisoners last year," he asserted.
 

Coming down heavily on the Centre and the State Governments, Geelani said there were contradictions between their claims and acts. "Their claims of zero tolerance, humanity and democracy have proven to be a hoax. Not only those languishing in jails , but entire Kashmir has been imprisoned and even the members of the European Union during their visit described Kashmir as a beautiful prison," he said.

Geelani while referring to the plight of Kashmiri detainees said, "Jail inmates all over the world are treated like humans, but they are tortured, maltreated, and deprived of all facilities in Kashmir." "Youth have been implicated in false and fabricated cases and political prisoners are being detained under the PSA again and again. It took 14-years for their law to tell that the two youth of Lal Bazar are innocent. Asiya Andrabi and Qazi Yasir have been booked under PSA for third time and others like Ghulam Nabi Sumjhi, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai are still in jails," he said.
 

Geelani praised lawyers for doing a "commendable job." "They have never let us down and pleaded cases of prisoners with full dedication," he added.Geelani also called upon youth to distribute pamphlets among the tourists visiting Valley for apprising them about the plight of Kashmiris. He urged people to protect Urdu language. "Big conspiracy is being hatched to wipe out the language. If we fail to protect it then we will be deprived of our religious literature," he said.  

Calling for establishing of Baitul-Mal and Madrasas in every locality, Geelani said, "Need of the hour is to help families of martyrs and prisoners and preach Quran and Islamic literature respectively."Taking a dig at the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, senior Vice-President of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (R), Javed Ahmed Mir said, "His government exists only from Sonawar to Civil Secretariat. It functions within the radius of one a half kilometer. Rest is run by the police, Army and other forces," he said.
 

Columnist Abdul Majid Zargar called for devising novel strategy to seek release of prisoners."We should paste stickers on vehicles and there should 15-20 minute power blackout to demand their release. We need to consult lawyers continuously and should file e-petitions to rights organizations for those who completed their jail terms but have not been released yet," he said.
 

Others who spoke on the occasion were Dr Abdul Majid Siraj, Zamrooda Habib, Dr Javaid Iqbal, advocate Muhammad Shafi Reshi, Sher Ali Bhat , Muhammad Farooq Rehmani (through tele-adress) and  Anwar Ashai. Three young daughters of Mehrajuddin Kalwal, arrested for participating in last year's unrest, also turned up at the seminar.The spokesman of amalgam Ayaz Akbar was moderated the proceedings of seminar.

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--
Palash Biswas
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