India Extends Detention of Four Kashmiri Politicians

Kashmir, MINA – India extends detention of four Kashmiri political leaders. The latest detention order is issued under the Public Safety Act (PSA) which allows detention without charge for two years.

The four politicians arrested include two former Kashmir ministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Meanwhile, the other two are regional party leaders, Ali Mohammad Sagar and Sartaj Madni. Thus quoted by Republika on Saturday, February 8.

They have been detained since August, precisely when the Indian government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Initially, they are detained under the law which allows a maximum detention period of six months. If it refers to the law, the detention of the four political parties will end.

“The law does not allow preventive detention for more than six months. So, they must be released or extended under the PSA,” said a government official on condition of anonymity.

On Thursday, the Indian Ministry of the Interior said before the parliament, 389 people in Kashmir had been under the PSA since August. Some of those detained have been put under house arrest, while others are moved. Amnesty International described the PSA as ‘law without law’.

The daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, Iltija Mufti confirmed the detention of her mother based on the PSA. In his tweet on Twitter, Iltija condemned the extension of his mother’s detention.

“The cruel PSA of the autocratic regime. The question is how much longer will we act as spectators when they tarnish the struggle of this nation?” Iltija said on Twitter.

Abolition of Kashmir’s privileged status has invited international criticism. Diplomats from several countries said they had raised human rights issues with the Indian Foreign Ministry. The removal of this privileged status was followed by months of blackouts of internet and telecommunications services in Kashmir. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)