Srinagar, July 15, 2010: In occupied Kashmir demonstrations, restrictions, undeclared curfews and sit-ins amid complete strike continues despite passing of more than one month throwing normal life out of gear. Protests have claimed 16 youth in less than a month forcing government to announce ‘independent probe’ which many believe are customary as none has been punished so far.

Since this morning large number of youth appeared on streets shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. Youth burned tires and blocked roads at many places. Old city of Srinagar reverberated with pro-liberation songs aired through Masjids (mosques) loud speakers, calling people to continue resistance against occupation.

At many places of old city, Varmul, Pulwama, sopore Islamabad and Shopian people came out on roads and staged peaceful sit-ins and offered prayers on roads, call for sit-ins was given by All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC(G)) and supported by Dukhterane Millat (DM), High Court Bar Association and other pro-freedom groups.

In a statement Dukhterane Millat (DM) Chief Sayeda Asiya Andrabi has denounced occupation authorities for arresting youth and for harassing their families. DM has reiterated call of APHC (G) for Batamaloo Chalo (March) tomorrow 16th July in which people have been appealed to wear white clothes. She has appealed people to continue struggle with valour and determination and appealed every section of society to contribute towards it and strength local relief committees so as to provide succor to the needy and poor people in this struggle.

Meanwhile APHC (M) spokesman has accused authorities for imposing curfew like restrictions in Srinagar and other cities and towns making the life of people miserable. In city spokesman has alleged that troops on one or the other pretext, barge into the houses of people, beat the inmates and ransack their households.

He said that the ongoing peaceful protest demonstrations against the killings of innocent youth by Indian troops were genuine and the Hurriyat Conference supported their demand for bringing the killers to justice. Spokesman has strongly condemned the continued house arrest of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and demanded his immediate release along with other illegally detained Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders and activists.

The General Secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, describe detention of President Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom, as baseless, illogical and fabricated, and demanded his immediate release. State Government today filed objections opposing shifting of Mian Qayoom from sub-jail Hiranagar to Srinagar stating that jails here are overcrowded. His grounds of detention furnished by police have labeled him as staunch advocate of secessionist ideology.

Reacting to this dossier of police spokesman of Jamaat-e- Islami J&K Advocate Zahid Ali has said that to level allegations of sedition and propagation of secessionist ideology against the Bar President Mian Abdul Qayoom and other Hurriyat leaders for justification of their unwarranted and immoral detention is quite shameful. Saying that if the government of India considers that the expression of the aspirations of the Kashmiris amounts to sedition, then it should have detained all those people in J&K who have been seeking their basic Right of Self Determination from the day India occupied this region forcibly.

In the other hand International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice Kashmir (IPTK) has expressed grave concern over the arrest of Advocate Mian Qayoom, under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act of 1978 (PSA).

"IPTK is concerned for the physical and psychological safety and security of Advocate Qayoom. We ask that Advocate Qayoom be released and due process, as per international humanitarian law, be followed" IPTK said in a statement issued today.