‘More Unjust Detentions Under the PSA in IIOJK’

Under the oppressive Public Safety Act, two innocent Kashmiris are detained without trial, further deepening the cycle of injustice and repression in IIOJK.

In a disturbing development from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the Indian police have detained two individuals under the oppressive Public Safety Act (PSA) in Udhampur district, reinforcing the ongoing human rights abuses in the region. Raj Ali, a resident of Mantalai, and Gulam Qadir, hailing from Ganshad, were arrested on vague charges that they were a threat to public peace. However, such arrests are commonly used to silence dissent and target those who challenge the occupation’s control over the region.

The authorities claimed these men were involved in several cases registered against them at the Chenani police station, but failed to provide substantial evidence for the accusations. Their detention, under the notorious PSA, reveals the arbitrary nature of such arrests, where the detained are often held without trial, without evidence, and without a chance for defense.

This draconian law has long been criticized for its abuse in Kashmir, where it’s regularly wielded to suppress political and social activists, human rights defenders, and even ordinary citizens who voice opposition to the Indian occupation.

Raj Ali and Gulam Qadir have now been placed in Udhampur District Jail, where they join a long list of political prisoners languishing in jails across the region under similar circumstances. The PSA is nothing more than a tool of repression, enabling the authorities to imprison individuals for extended periods under false pretenses, often with no legal recourse.

This tactic of using laws like PSA to stifle voices of resistance and dissent has become commonplace in Jammu and Kashmir, where the reality of injustice has long been accepted as a painful part of life under Indian occupation.

Such actions not only undermine the basic principles of justice but also contribute to the climate of fear and oppression that has engulfed the region. With each arbitrary arrest, the message is clear: speak out against the occupation, and you too could be detained without cause.

The international community must take a stronger stand against the use of the PSA and other oppressive laws in Kashmir, demanding the immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to the human rights violations perpetrated by the Indian authorities in the region.