Kashmiri prisoners of war

[Majid A Siraj]

Urgent appeal from 'Kashmir Commission of Jurists
Kashmiri civilians held prisoners for the last seven years in
appalling conditions.

The lives of detenues from Jammu & Kashmir languishing in jails in
Kashmir and India are at great peril. Urgent measures need to to be
taken to secure their release.
1. That the detenues were arrested from their homes and subject to
interrogation using third degree methods in special centres designed
for the purpose.
2. That most of the detenues have become victims of serious
diseases like infections of gastro-intestinal tract, heart and kidney
problems. Medical assistance to either prevent such illnesses or
treat them are non-existent in these prisons. Medical records with
jail authorities show scanty information about medical complaints.
3. The persons detained in interrogation centres were made to sign
some papers using coercive measures , applying third degree methods
and without their free will or consent. These papers were then
produced in courts , declaring them to be the voluntary
confessional statements of these detenues. This fabricated evidence
has been used by the government to legalise their detention.
4. The living conditions in the prisons are demeaning with dirty
unhygienic barracks like slums without basic facilities like latrines,
showers, windows in the rooms, electricity for light or even a basic
fan during the scorching summer months. The diet given to the
prisoners is substandard, stale and adulterated.
5. That lawyers representing the prisoners in courts and pleading
their innocence were systematically harassed , arrested or killed.
This action has deterred advocates representing their cases.
Striking examples of such blatant elimination of those
Lawyers actively representing such prisoners is Jalil Andrabi from
Srinagar who was arrested in the presence of his family and killed
in cold blood, Mr Satnam Singh Advocate from Krishan Nagar Jammu
also involved with seeking justice for the detenues was killed and
his body has not been handed over to his family till date. Gulam
Qadir Salaniee and Mohomad Sultan both advocates from Dalgate
Srinagar and Bijbehara respectively were killed by the Indian
forces for their work to defend the rights of people detained in
custody. The following is a list of detenues we are seeking to be
released immediately . They have been detained illegally and are
suffering seriously the effects of inhuman treatment .
1. Farooq Ahmad Dar S/O Gh. Rasool Dar R/O Guru Bazar Srinagar.
Arrested on 10-5-90 F.I.R Parimpora 33/90 , Kanachak Jammu 240/91
( Inc others ) 2. Manzoor Ahmad Bhat S/O Ab. Majid Bhat R/O
Mehman Mohalla Anantnag Arrested on 10.12.90. F.I.R 512/89,
Bijbehara 40/90 , Kanachak Jammu 288/83 Kathua. ( Inc others) 3.
Manzoor Ahmad Sofi S/O Mohd. Abdulla Sofi R/O Kokar Bazar
Srinagar.Date of arrest 16-6-90. F.I.R 150/89, Kothi Bagh 330/89,
CBI-(s) 90, CBI RC7 (s) 90. 4. Rouf Ahmad Khan S/O Syed Akbar
Khan R/O Plundari ( Pakistan administered Kashmir) date of arrest:
7-4-91, FIR 49/91, 50/91, Surankot Poonch. 5. Mohd. Idris Bhat
S/O Gh. Qadir Bhat R/O Guru Bazar Srinagar, arrested on 10-6-90. FIR
38/90, Shaheed Gunj 45/90, Mahraj Gunj 44/90. 6. Nazir
Ahmad Shiekh S/O Ab Rashid Shiekh R/O Batmalo Srinagar.
Arrested in Oct.91 FIR 283/90 Kathua Jammu. CBI, RC-4 (s)
90. 7. Noor Mohomad Kalwal S/O Gh.. Rasool Kalwal, R/O Naid Kadal
Srinagar, Arrested in Dec 1991. FIR Nil. 8. Tahir Ahmad Mir S/O
Gh. Rasool Mir R/O Baba Dem Srinagar. Arrested on 6-12-90. FIR ,
CBI -RC5 (s) 90, CBI RC-6 (s) 90, Parimpora 33/90. 9. Mohomad
Saleem Zargar S/O Habibulla Zargar R/O Jamia Masjid Srinagar
arrested on 28-4-90. FIR. CBI RC-5 (s) 90, CBI RC-6 (s) 90. 10.
Mushtaq Ahmad Shiekh S/O Ab Gani R/O Soi Teng Lasgen. Arrested on
6.5.90 , FIR 1/73, 1/90, C.I.K. CBI, RS-5 (s) 90 11. Mushtaq
Ahmad Bhat S/) Gh. Qadir BhatR/O Batmaloo Srinagar. Arrested on
1-6-90, FIR 240/91 Kanachak Jammu, 145/90 Ganderbal. 12. Raof
Rasool Bhat S/) Gh. Rasool Bhat R/O Natipora Srinagar. Arrested on
6-6-90, FIR 21/90 Chadura. CBI, RC-3 (s) 90 13. Mohd Maqbool
Tantray S/O Ab Khaliq Tantray R/O Rawalpora Srinagar. Date of
arrest 6-6-90. FIR, CBI RC-3 (s) 90 14. Prince Saleem
Shiekh S/O Ali Mohd Shiekh R/O Karphali Mohala Srinagar. Arrested on
14-1-91. FIR 62/90, 103/90, 141/90, 161/90 Police Station
Shaheed Gunj 15. Mohd Yasin Bhat S/O Gh. Mohd Bhat R/O
Nagin Srinagar. Arrested in Jan. 1992, FIR CBI RC-5 (s) 90,
RC-6 (s) 90. 16. Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar S/O Gh. Mohd.
Zargar R/O Jamia Masjid Srinagar. Date of arrest May, 4, 1992.
FIR, CBI RC-3 (s) 90

17. Javid Ahmad Chudisaze S/O Gulam Chudisaze R/O Mehman
Mohalla Anantnag. Arrested on 2-5-91 FIR 164/90, Anantnag,
283/93 Kathua Jammu. 18. Nazir Ahmad Dar R/O Gh Mohomad Dar R/O
Rawalpora Srinagar Date of arrest: 16-6-90, FIR RC-3 (s) 90
19. Shabir Ahmad Bhat S/O Ab. Rashid Bhat R/O Natipora
Srinagar . Arrested in Jan. 1991 FIR 103/90 , 161/90 Shaheed
Ganj. 20. Shameem Ahmad Tak R/O Mohd. Maqbool Tak R/O Badharwa
Doda, arrested on March, 1, 1993, RIF 238/92, Badharwa 21.
Khalid Rasool S/O Gh. Rasool R/O Badharwa. Arrested on 21st
May 1993. FIR 338/92, 14/93, 94/93, Badharwa Doda. 22.
Bilal Ahmad Gagroo S/O Ab Rahim Gagroo R/O Nawab Bazar
Srinagar, Date of arrest 7-8-92 FIR 172/98 Kanachak Jammu.
23. Noor Hussain Lone S/O Lasa Joo Lone R/O HarHal Kishtawar.
Arrested in Oct. 1993. FIR 20/93, Atholey, Kishtawar, 212/92
Kishtawar. 24. Liakat Hussain S/O Ab. Wahid R/O Buchal Kishtawar
Arrested in Oct. 1993. FIR 212/92, 20/93 Atholi. 25. Bashir
Ahmad Gojri S/O Noor Jamal R/O Chatroo Kishtawar. Arrested on 24th
April, 92 FIR 48/92 Kishtawar. 26. Master Ab Latif S/O
Gulam Qadir R/O Inderwal Kishtawar. Date of arrest April 24, 1992.
FIR 48/92, Kishtawar. 27. Gulam Mohiuddin Shiekh S/O Lassa
Shiekh R/O Bail Pora Kishtawar. Date of arrest April 24, 1992 .
Fir 48/92. 28. Gulam Rasool Shiekh S/O Ab. Shiekh R/O Beigh
Pora Kishtawar. Date of arrest April 24, 1992. FIR 48/92
Kishtawar. 29. Nazir Ahmad Naik S/O Abdul Jabbar Naik R/O
Baigh Pora Kishtawar Date of arrest April 24, 1992. FIR 48/92
Tatheri Kishtawar.

30. Nisar Ahmad Shiekh S/O Abdul Gaffar R/O Baigh Pora Tathri
Kishtawar. Date of arrest: April 24, 1992 FIR 48/92 Kishtawar.

31. Mohomad Saleem Qazi S/O Mohomad Afzal R/O Doligam Banihal.
Arrested in October 1991. FIR 108/92 Banihal.

32. Javed Iqbal Mattoo S/O Gulam Mohomad Mattoo R/O Kariwal Banihal.
Arrested in October 1991. FIR 108/92, and 9/93 Banihal.

This appeal has the impassioned support of the families of the
detenues who are suffering anguish and are distressed profoundly.
The length of time in horrid conditions of detention, interminable
suffering from ill health and complete absence of a legal process or
a trial, are sufficient grounds for Indian authorities to be
persuaded and a release of all detenues secured immediately.
Copy of appeal to, Amnesty International, Asia Watch , Physicians for
Human Rights, British Parliamentary Human Rights Group, European Human
Rights Group, United Nations Rights Commission Geneva, Peace
Foundations In USA, London and New Delhi , Medical Foundation for
the victims of Torture London, Mrs Madeleine Albright Secretary Of
State, Mrs Mitterand Danielle Paris and British Foreign office.
Copy to British Press . Majid Siraj ( Kashmir Council
for Human Rights )