By Mir Umar,Agence India Press,
Srinagar: Scores of lawyers and advocates held protest demonstrations and took rally against the arrest of Mian Abdul Qayoom, President of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen , General Secretary of High Court Bar Association demanding immediate release and withdraw all charges against them.
Members of High Court Bar association including advocates of high court and lower court assembled in lower court to stage demonstrations against the authorities of Jammu and Kashmir for arresting the President and General Secretary of High Court Bar Association under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act of 1978(PSA) on 7 July and 18 July respectively.
While talking to Agence India Press, Ex-President High Court Bar Association Nazir Ahmed Ronga said, that Mian Qayoom and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen have been targeted as a direct result of their human rights activities, particularly their legal advocacy work on behalf of those who are arbitrarily detained under the PSA as well as for the past human rights violations such as disappearances in Kashmir.
Taking serious the issue he urged the immediate release of Mian Qayoom and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen from the detention and drops all charges against them.
He said, “There should be taken all necessary measures to guarantee the physiological and psychological integrity of both whilst in detention”
He further said that there must be guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in India are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment
However, acting on the call given by the Hurriyat conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani high court bar association marched from the lower court where they were gathered when reached the entrance gate of court, Jammu and Kashmir police along with paramilitary forces tried to stop the marchers and finally closed down the gate of the Lower Court
Moreover, Ronga gave ultimatum to the government said that “if their demands will not entertained till Monday the high court bar association has decided to sit for hunger strike for 12 hours in first phase, and if no response found strike will continued for 24 hours and then 72 hours”
“Hunger strike will be continued till death if authorities will not react on our demands” Ronga added
Perhaps the bar association along with other lawyers and advocates continued their protest in the periphery of Lower Court.