JRL urges SHRC to probe beating of Kashmiri prisoner

Srinagar

After director general prisons told the State Human Rights Commission that no Kashmiri political prisoner has been subjected to human rights abuses in jails, the Joint Resistance Leadership has filed a rejoinder before the commission, asking it to inquire into beating and bullying of a prisoner from Pattan by Kathua Jail authorities.
Last November, the JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Yaseen Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq apprised the commission, through a petition, about hardships faced by Kashmiri prisoners in jails outside the Valley.
In response to the petition, the DGP wrote: “There is one medical officer, senior pharmacist, junior staff nurse and two nursing orderlies posted at district jail Kathua. If required, inmates are referred to district hospital Kathua, Medical College / Super-Specialty hospital Jammu.”
“The basic needs required by the jail inmates have been provided as per J&K jail manual. All the jail inmates have been lodged as per the category and class mentioned in the jail manual.”
After the separatist leadership’s petition, SHRC member Jang Bahadur Singh Jamwal visited district jail Kathua and submitted before the commission that none of the jail inmates complained about jail authorities.
However, rights activist Ahsan Untoo filed a rejoinder on behalf of the JRL before the commission, saying: “Shortly after the member of the SHRC visited Kathua jail to inquire about the plight of prisoners, one of the jail inmates, Abdul Samad Inqalabi resident of Singhpora Pattan was beaten brutally and bullied by Kathua jail authorities, causing him serious injuries. This news was highlighted in local newspapers as well.”
“If required the victim can be presented before the commission for ascertaining and examining the facts.”
The JRL petition states that it is SHRC’s responsibility to investigate into the plight of prisoners of Jammu and Kashmir at Tihar Jail and direct the authorities concerned to take appropriate measure for their wellbeing.
The jails inmates, the petition reads, are not being treated as per the UN Charter and the jail manual. The prisoners are often subjected to “harassment, torture and agony which is a gross violation of human rights”.
Many detainees, the petition said, are detained in jails situated more than 300 km away from homeland. The prisoners have to be kept in state jails, it said. The petition requested SHRC to direct authorities to shift Kashmiri prisoners at Kathua jail to nearby jails so that their families can meet them without “harassment and hindrance.”—GK

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