Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): A day after meeting Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, Member of Parliament from Srinagar Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi said on Saturday that he has requested action on the prolonged detention of numerous prisoners from Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking to 'X', formerly known as Twitter, Mehdi emphasized the need to transfer those under trial but not yet convicted to prisons within Jammu and Kashmir, citing humanitarian reasons. He highlighted the harsh weather conditions in Kashmir compared to other regions and the challenges faced by prisoners' families in visiting their loved ones held in distant locations.
"Met the Home Minister (Amit Shah) yesterday evening and asked him for the release of the hundreds of prisoners of J&K who are held without trials for years now. And also asked for the transfer of those who are under trials and not convicted yet, to the jails of Jammu and Kashmir," Mehdi said.
Met the @HMOIndia yesterday evening and asked him for the release of the hundreds of prisoners of J&K who are held without trials for years now. And also asked for the transfer of those who are under trials and not convicted yet, to the jails of Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/2tYN9YXPc6
— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) August 3, 2024
Mehdi also shared a copy of the letter submitted to the Home Minister, underscoring the unfair detention of young individuals without trial and calling for their urgent release to facilitate their contribution to career and nation-building efforts.
"As the representative of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, I would like to bring to your notice that several of our people have been incarcerated from different regions of the valley. Many of them are convicted, undertrial, or are being held without a trial and are being held in different parts of the country," he wrote in the letter.
He further added, "I would like to further bring to your knowledge that most of the prisoners held without a trial happen to be young individuals. It is unfair on the part of the government to hold these people at an age that is decisive for career and nation-building. So, I believe their release to be imperative and call upon the government to release the prisoners without a trial at the earliest."
Mehdi concluded by highlighting the unique weather conditions in Kashmir, stating, "The weather conditions of the Kashmir province of Jammu and Kashmir are different from the rest of the nation. Those prisoners who are convicted or are undertrial should be shifted to the valley on humanitarian grounds. It is also difficult for the relatives of these prisoners to meet them in different parts of the country both physically and financially."
