Kashmir’s chief cleric and chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, announced on Friday that he has been placed under house arrest for the third consecutive week. This restriction has prevented him from leading prayers at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar, a move he has decried as a violation of his religious and personal freedoms.
“What law, if laws govern us, sanctions such an assault on basic rights and turns worship into a crime?” Farooq questioned, expressing strong condemnation of his ongoing confinement.
He stated, “Week after week, on Fridays or any day they decide, at their whim and will, the authorities lock me inside my home, curb my freedom, and prevent me from fulfilling my religious duties, with no accountability for this authoritarian behavior.”
Voicing frustration over institutional silence, he added, “All those whose duty it is to hold the authorities to account either dare not or bother not to question them,” emphasizing his objections to repeated restrictions and the authorities’ disregard for human rights and public sentiment.
Farooq also posted images of police presence outside his residence, confirming the house arrest. This development has drawn widespread condemnation on social media, with users asserting that it not only infringes on his personal freedom of movement but also contravenes his religious rights. Many expressed that this illegal detention affects the spiritual journey of those who rely on his leadership.
Others characterized the situation as a blatant violation of fundamental human rights. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been subjected to frequent house arrests, typically aimed at preventing him from leading Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid or engaging in political activities. Such measures have intensified since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
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