Mirwaiz detention: HC issues notice to J&K administration

Srinagar, Sep 15 : Jammu & Kashmir High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Union Territory’s administration seeking its response on a petition filed by separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq over his house detention since August 4, 2019.

As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Mirwaiz’s lawyer, advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga said that High Court has issued a notice to administration of Jammu & Kashmir on the petition challenging confinement of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

In the petition, Mirwiaz, through his legal counsel, has submitted that he has not been allowed to come out of his house for the past four years and has been confined illegally till date without any detention orders from the competent authority.

“That it is of paramount importance to mention that on 4th of August 2019 a large contingent of police personnel and a police truck arrived and stationed outside the entrance gate of the petitioner’s residence. The petitioner was verbally informed that he cannot move out of the house premises. Simultaneously, another contingent of police and a police gypsy was stationed outside the entrance gate on the other side of the petitioner’s residence where his family also resides. The petitioner was informed that he cannot leave from that exit also. As a matter of fact, that the police personnel and both the police vehicles are permanently stationed on both sides of the residence since then and the petitioner has not been allowed even to move here and there, his liberty as such, has been curtailed which is against the basic principles of law,” reads the petition.

The petition states that Mirwaiz couldn’t fulfil his obligation of delivering Friday sermons and offering and leading Friday prayers in Srinagar’s central Jamia Masjid for the past four years.

“It will be appropriate to mention here that the petitioner is a strong advocate of peace not only in the UT of J&K but also in the entire sub-continent. He is a firm believer of universal brotherhood, religious tolerance and coexistence. He has always rejected violence and its promotion in every way or manner, whatsoever, overtly or covertly, directly or indirectly,” the petition states—(KNO)