SHRC Seeks Report On PSA Detainees

Srinagar, April 3: The State Human Rights Commission has asked Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to file its response to a petition, seeking details of the persons detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) till date.

The petition has been filed by chairman International Forum for Justice Human Rights JK Muhammad Ahsaan Untoo and he also sought directions to authorities to shift the PSA detainees to the nearest place of their residence.

The notice was issued by Chairperson of the SHRC Justice (retd) Bilal Nazki and he has sought compliance report within four weeks, the petitioner said.

“Innocent civilians have been booked under the draconian Public Safety Act and have been lodged in the different jails of State of Jammu and Kashmir and more particularly outside the Valley,” he according to GNS said. It’s the beauty of the constitution that certain fundamental rights have been guaranteed to the citizens of the sate and one of the cherished right is the right to life defined under the Article 21, he says.

“Article 19 of the constitution regarding the right of speech and expression cannot be curtailed by mere excuse that someone is criticizing the policy of the government, and the persons’ who has been detained under PSA is absolute vengeances on the part of the respondents (officials),” he says.

He further says: “The persons who have been detained under PSA and have been lodged outside valley as part of the state policy to harass them and is one of the great human rights violations on the part of the respondents and the respondents are duty bound to adhere the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.”

The petitioner seeks the transfer of all the detainees lodged under PSA outside valley to the district jails were they actually belong to so that their relatives, kith and kin can have easy access to meet them. (GNS)