London : Global human rights watchdog Amnesty International has criticized India for using excessive and arbitrary force on demonstrators after the killing of Mujahid commander Burhan Wani in occupied Kashmir on July 8, last year.
The Amnesty International in its 2016 and 2017 report on human rights, which was released in London, said that more than 80 people, mostly protesters, were killed in clashes and thousands were injured. It said that hundreds were blinded by forces’ use of pellet-firing shotguns, which are inherently inaccurate and indiscriminate. The report also mentioned the killing of a lecturer Shabbir Ahmad Monga, who was beaten to death by army soldiers in August, last year. The report said that the authorities imposed a curfew which lasted over two months. Private landline, mobile and internet service providers suspended their services for weeks on orders from the authorities. The communications shutdown undermined a range of human rights and residents reported being unable to reach medical assistance in cases of emergencies. The Amnesty also made a mention of ban on the publication of local newspapers in Kashmir for three days and arrest of human rights defender Khurram Parvez for over two months on spurious grounds. The report said that hundreds of people, including children, were placed in administrative detention.
In occupied Kashmir, on the eve of Kunanposhpora mass rape incident, the All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Syed Ali Gilani and other Hurriyet leaders and organizations including Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Farida Bahenji, Firdous Ahmed Shah and Hurriyet forum led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in their statements urged world human rights organizations to take notice of the crimes committed by Indian forces in Kashmir. They said that India was using rape as a weapon of war in the territory. Indian troops had gang-raped around 100 women in Kunanposhpora area of Kupwara district on the night of 23rd February in 1991.
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik in a statement Srinagar expressed dismay over the plight of illegally detained Kashmiris. He said that people put behind bars under draconian Public Safety Act were facing discrimination as judiciary was not even hearing their cases in a fair manner and was prolonging their incarceration. He said that the condition of the prisoners especially lifers including Dr Muhammad Qasim Fakhtoo, Dr Muhammad Shahfi Shariati and Ghulam Qadir Butt was deplorable.
Meanwhile, a court in Bandipora district, today, suspended the bail order of senior APHC leader, Masarrat Aalam Butt, till 27th of this month.
