By TCN News,
New Delhi: Various organizations led by Students Islamic Organisation of India(SIO) organized a nationwide protest to stop illegal detention and arrest of innocent Muslim youth in the name of terrorism.
A march to Parliament was organized in New Delhi. Students Islamic Orgainsation of India (SIO) was joined with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), Welfare Party of India (WPI), Jamia Students Solidarity Forum (JSSF), Alliance for Social Justice, Delhi University.
Jamaat-s-Islami Secretary Mohammed Ahmad
On this occasion a memorandum was sent to the Prime Minister demanding speedy trial of all terror cases, fair investigation of terror incidents, rehabilitation of those acquitted of terror charges, and Repeal all draconian laws including Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), MACOCA, sedition laws and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
Memorandum
Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) is deeply concerned over the continued chain of detaining and arresting of innocent Muslim youths in the name of counter terrorism across the country since long time. On one side, the police and the government agencies arrest innocent Muslim youths under serious charges and on the other side, the media projects them, much before their trial in courts of law, as masterminds and terrorists. As a result, their lives and the lives of their families are ruined. When these cases are heard in courts of law, the police and investigating agencies fail miserably to prove the allegations they level against these innocent Muslim youths. After suffering incarceration and ignominy for as long as over 20 years, the courts declare them innocent and acquit them.
In the past decade, hundreds of Muslim youths arrested under charges of terror plots have been declared as innocents and released from jail. In many cases, courts have castigated the police and intelligence agencies for filing false cases and fabrication of evidence. But during this period, the best years of the life – of arrested youths – are ruined, their houses and families are shattered, and their relations and friends are estranged. In these circumstances, the acquitted Muslim youths face only a dark future ahead.
SIO firmly believes that infiltration of communal elements into police and intelligence agencies is responsible for all the agonies faced by innocent people in terror related cases. It is bringing shame to the law enforcement structure of the country while the real culprits of most terrorism related cases roam freely, thanks to the self-deceiving approach of the concerned authorities.
SIO thinks that there is a tendency among investigative agencies to search and fix some suitable ‘scapegoats’ and declare a case solved, to cover someone else’s crime directly or indirectly and to willfully target educated Muslim youth in terror related cases.
SIO views with concerns to the way Police leveled false charges against innocents, adopted illegal ways and character-assassinated with baseless statements. These are enough to show the bid to arrest youths under concocted charges in different parts of the country seems to be part of a planned conspiracy to defame Muslims, tarnish their image before the masses.
It is reported that many youths working abroad are on the hit list of security agencies. The well-qualified and professional Muslim youths go abroad in search of jobs but there too, the long arms of our security agencies are out to grab them for harassing and ruining their peace by leveling concocted charges.
SIO feels that now it is the time for the government and justice-loving citizens in the country to think how long this atmosphere of terror against Muslims and the ongoing move to defame them would continue.
Moreover, It has been usually seen that the sensational stories floated in media quoting ‘intelligence’ and ‘police’ sources and the self-boasting, smart police work in the field hardly stands to reason and legal defense and the courts generally found police investigation nothing but ‘concocted’.
SIO Rajasthan
In this context, SIO presents the following demands for urgent consideration before the Prime Minister of India by submitting its memorandum:
1. Free and fair investigation and end bias in law enforcement.
2. Stop custodial torture and use of third degree methods by police and intelligence agencies.
3. Compensation and rehabilitation must be given to innocents who have been wrongly booked under terror charges.
4. All terror related cases must be tried on a day-to-day basis so that the innocents get released soon.
5. Strict action must be taken against police personnel and investigation agencies personnel who are responsible for fabrication of evidence against innocents.
6. Repeal all draconian laws including Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), MACOCA, sedition laws and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Any law for curbing terrorism must confirm with International Human Rights Standards.
7. Intelligence Bureau must come under the audit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Issued by: Students Islamic Orgainsation of India (SIO)
In association with:
• Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, (JIH)
• Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR)
• All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM)
• Welfare Party of India (WPI)
• Jamia Students Solidarity Forum (JSSF)
• Alliance for Social Justice, Delhi University.