KARACHI – In occupied Kashmir, the family members of Kashmiri political detainees, who have been languishing in different jails of India and the territory since the repeal of Kashmir’s special status in August 2019, have expressed concern in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak that has gripped the entire world.
Human rights activists, advocates, and families have demanded the immediate release of their kin on humanitarian grounds.
“The threat of the coronavirus epidemic increases the risk to the health and safety for political prisoners, who should never have been imprisoned in the first place,” said Michael Page, Middle East Deputy Director at the Human Rights Watch.
Thousands of youth, political leaders and activists were detained when the BJP-led government scrapped the special status of Kashmir and divided it into two union territories on August 05, last year. The demand for releasing the prisoners comes after Iran released over 70,000 prisoners because of the coronavirus outbreak.
