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av({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","entry":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$blogger":"http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6025183395565326371.post-2901726734639017618"},"published":{"$t":"2012-12-07T02:24:00.001-08:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-12-07T02:24:06.928-08:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"JKLF to Protest in London on World Human Rights Day"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E(\u003Cst1:city\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003ELondon\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:city\u003E) Members of the pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), will hold a protest demonstration at the Indian High Commission in \u003Cst1:city\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003ELondon\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:city\u003E against widespread human rights violations in Indian occupied \u003Cst1:place\u003EKashmir\u003C\/st1:place\u003E on the occasion of World Human Rights Day on 10\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003EDecember. It is to coincide with a shutter-down call by JKLF chairman, Yasin Malik, in Kashmir to protest against the recent cases of awarding life sentences to several Kashmiris under the notorious TADA law which was repealed in India as far back as 1995 but still used in Kashmir to suppress the Kashmiri\u0026nbsp; independence movement.. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOn \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cst1:date day=\"3\" month=\"12\" year=\"2012\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E December, 2012\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/st1:date\u003E\u003Cb\u003E, a kangaroo court in \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cst1:city\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJammu\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:city\u003E\u003Cb\u003E awarded life sentences to two Kashmiris Sheikh Nazir Ahmed and Shoukat Ahmed, who had both spent nearly 15 years in Indian jails without trial after being arrested in 1990s. They were released on bail over 7 years ago but rearrested recently and awarded life imprisonment. Two weeks ago, another Kashmiri, Dr Qasim Faktoo was sentenced to life imprisonment under similar circumstance.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EA JKLF spokesman in \u003Cst1:city\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003ELondon\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:city\u003E said that “these are serious and worrying cases and point to Indian government intention to hoodwink the world opinion about what it has been doing in J\u0026amp;K for last 3 decades. It makes a mockery of empty gestures of ‘peace process’ and ‘political dialogue’.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E“We have taken serious notice of the latest developments and have approached the Amnesty International, All Party Parliamentary Group on \u003Cst1:place\u003EKashmir\u003C\/st1:place\u003E and other international human rights organizations to take up the issue with the Indian government.” \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EProtest Venue:\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Indian High Commission, Aldych, \u003Cst1:city\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003ELondon\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:city\u003E. WC2B 4NA\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ENearest Tube Station:\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Holborn (Central Line)\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EDate:\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cst1:date day=\"10\" month=\"12\" year=\"2012\"\u003EMonday 10\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E December 2012\u003C\/st1:date\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003ETime:\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cst1:time hour=\"14\" minute=\"0\"\u003E2-4pm\u003C\/st1:time\u003E (A protest memorandum will be presented to the Indian High Commission at \u003Cst1:time hour=\"15\" minute=\"0\"\u003E3 pm\u003C\/st1:time\u003E)\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EBackground Information:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EOn \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cst1:date day=\"5\" month=\"12\" year=\"2012\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EThursday, 5\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E December, 2012\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/st1:date\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003Ethe Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and the International Peoples’ Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in \u003Cst1:place\u003EKashmir\u003C\/st1:place\u003E published an investigatory report accusing \u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;\"\u003E500 serving Army, paramilitary and police personnel in Jammu-Kashmir of allegations of human rights violations in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cst1:state\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EJammu   and Kashmir\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:state\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E. The report en\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003Etitled “stories of impunity in Jammu and Kashmir” sights 215 cases and named 235 army, 123 paramilitary, 111 police and 31 counter-insurgency personnel of \u0026nbsp;rights abuses such as extra-judicial \u0026nbsp;killings, enforced disappearances, torture of prisoners and raping Kashmiri women since 1990. Among the accused, there are 2 Major Generals and 3 Brigadiers, 9 Colonels, 3 Lieutenant Colonels, 78 Majors, 25 Captains belonging to the Indian Army and 37 senior officials of the paramilitary forces as well as a retired and current director general of the Jammu-Kashmir Police.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe 354-page report, which was compiled using information obtained through the Right to Information Act, includes witness testimonies as well as court cases and cases registered with the police, which have not been investigated.\u0026nbsp; The cases documented in the report reveal Indian government’s policy not to investigation or prosecution cases against the armed forces in Jammu-Kashmir. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EOn the other hand, Indian government has started to prosecute and punish pro-independence activists under the ‘lawless laws’ for agitating against Indian occupation of Jammu-Kashmir. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA); which was condemned by Indian judiciary at the highest level in 1995 and repealed, under which a person could be detained without formal charge or trial for up to one year and which allowed court hearings to be conducted in secret with keeping the identity of any witness secret and where confessions by torture were permissible on simple police assurance that it was obtained voluntarily.\u0026nbsp; \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIn 2008, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions ruled that 10 individuals detained under the PSA in J\u0026amp;K had been \u003Ci\u003Earbitrarily detained\u003C\/i\u003E in violation of articles 7, 9, 10 and 11(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 9 and 14 of the ICCPR.\u0026nbsp; It called on the Government of India to bring its laws in conformity with its international human rights obligations. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify; text-indent: 3.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E‘The Working Group is aware of the political\u0026nbsp; sensitivities regarding the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the complex law and order situation ensuing in that part of the country.\u0026nbsp; As a part of its crisis management system, the Government is using laws of preventive detention, including the PSA …. Be that as it may, any legal, administrative or other mechanism employed, must conform to international human rights standards and obligations undertaken by the Government of \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cst1:country-region\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003E\u003Ci\u003EIndia\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:country-region\u003E\u003Ci\u003E.’\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify; text-indent: 3.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003EUN WGAD opinion on 10 PSA cases from J\u0026amp;K, \u003Cst1:date day=\"26\" month=\"11\" year=\"2008\"\u003E26 November 2008\u003C\/st1:date\u003E \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EHundreds of lawyers have sought to challenge these detentions under the PSA through habeas corpus petitions. According to the High Court registry in \u003Cst1:city\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003ESrinagar\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:city\u003E, 367 habeas corpus petitions were filed in 2008, 272 in 2009 and 159 up to \u003Cst1:date day=\"19\" month=\"5\" year=\"2010\"\u003E19 May 2010\u003C\/st1:date\u003E.\u0026nbsp; It is estimated that about 70% of these refer to cases of administrative detention under the PSA law.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E“\u003Ci\u003EThe PSA violates international human rights law and standards by providing for detention without trial while denying the possibility of judicial review and other safeguards for those in detention required under international human rights law. It also violates the principle of legality by defining offences so broadly as to allow security officials to detain individuals on extremely vague grounds including for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”\u003C\/i\u003E A ‘Lawless Law’, Detentions under the J\u0026amp;K Public Safety Act\u0026nbsp; - Amnesty International, March 2011 \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EOut of the over 600 cases studied by AI, approximately 290 detainees were found to be booked under the Arms Act offences. In approximately 160 cases, detainees were alleged to be in possession of fire arms or other such weapons when arrested but only 3 out of the 290 detainees were eventually convicted for possession of weapons. In Jammu-Kashmir the \u003Cb\u003EArmed Forces Special Powers Act, \u003C\/b\u003Efacilitates impunity for abuses and violations. It empowers Indian Security Forces to search homes and make arrests without warrants and provides them the right to shoot-to-kill with total immunity from prosecution. The \u003Cb\u003EJammu \u0026amp; Kashmir Public Safety Act\u003C\/b\u003E (JKPSA) empowers Indian forces to detain persons without trial for up to 4 for a broad range of activities that would be considered political and civil rights elsewhere in the world.\u0026nbsp; \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EPublicity Secretary, \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EJKLF \u003Cst1:country-region\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003EUK\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:country-region\u003E Zone\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EEmail: Secretary@JKLF.co.uk \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cst1:city\u003E\u003Cst1:place\u003EMobile\u003C\/st1:place\u003E\u003C\/st1:city\u003E: (+44)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; 0787 748 7696\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.5pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/jklfworld.blogspot.com\/feeds\/2901726734639017618\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jklfworld.blogspot.com\/2012\/12\/jklf-to-protest-in-london-on-world.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/6025183395565326371\/posts\/default\/2901726734639017618"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/6025183395565326371\/posts\/default\/2901726734639017618"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/jklfworld.blogspot.com\/2012\/12\/jklf-to-protest-in-london-on-world.html","title":"JKLF to Protest in London on World Human Rights Day"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"J K L F"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17912188462951931200"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"31","height":"19","src":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_RoCji4VwOvs\/Sg2SrdjusAI\/AAAAAAAAAKw\/t_nQV17OijM\/S220\/jklflag.jpg"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}});