IIOJK’s Political Prisoners Face Growing Repression Under Indian Custody

The forced relocation of Kashmiri political prisoners deep into Indian territory highlights an alarming escalation in the ongoing suppression of dissent in IIOJK.

In yet another move that reflects the intensifying crackdown in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has shifted dozens of Kashmiri political prisoners to various jails in India. The move has sparked strong condemnation from Kashmiri political circles, with many labeling it a clear attempt to further isolate and victimize those opposing India’s continued occupation of the region.

The prisoners, primarily affiliated with the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and other pro-freedom groups, were previously held in jails across Kashmir, including Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu, the Poonch District Jail, and Srinagar Central Jail. They have now been moved to facilities in BJP-governed Indian states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh—hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of kilometers away from their families.

These transfers are not isolated. Reports indicate that hundreds of Kashmiri political detainees, including prominent APHC leaders, are being held in infamous Indian prisons like Tihar Jail in New Delhi, Agra Central Jail, Naini Jail in Uttar Pradesh, and Rohtak and Karnal jails in Haryana. Others have been lodged in facilities as far away as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

According to the All Parties Hurriyat Conference spokesman, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, these relocations are a deliberate form of political punishment. In a statement from Srinagar, he condemned the BJP-led regime in IIOJK for what he described as a systematic campaign to break the spirit of Kashmiri resistance. He pointed out that transferring detainees so far from their homeland not only inflicts mental anguish on the prisoners but also punishes their families, who struggle to afford long journeys for prison visits.

Minhas emphasized that these harsh measures are designed to suppress voices calling for justice, peace, and the right to self-determination. However, he affirmed that such repressive tactics would not deter the Kashmiri people from their legitimate demand for freedom. He reiterated that the struggle for Kashmir’s liberation would continue, regardless of the hardships imposed by the occupying administration.

Most of the detainees have been arrested under draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). These laws allow for detention without trial and have been widely criticized by international human rights organizations for enabling gross violations of civil liberties.

The mass transfer of Kashmiri political prisoners stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of the unresolved Kashmir conflict. As India tightens its grip on the region, the voices calling for justice grow louder, not quieter.