SRINAGAR: Amnesty International has urged India to immediately release two jailed lawyers in Indian-held Kashmir and repeal a harsh law that allows detention for up to two years without trial.
Mian Qayoom, president of the Kashmir Bar Association, was detained on July 7 for “questioning the conduct of government security forces and for his political views,” the international rights group said on Wednesday. Qayoom’s alleged infractions include making speeches and statements that authorities find provocative.
Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, the association’s general secretary, was detained on July 18 for organising public rallies seeking Qayoom’s release. The two were arrested under the Public Safety Act, a harsh law that allows detention for up to two years without trial. Amnesty called the use of the law “arbitrary”. “ The detention... appears to be an attempt to stifle legitimate and peaceful protest,” Sam Zarifi, Asia-Pacific director at Amnesty International, said. agencies
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\07\23\story_23-7-2010_pg7_9
