In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, hundreds of worshippers held a peaceful protest demonstration in premises of Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, against continued house detention of senior leader of APHC and chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Scores of worshippers assembled inside the grand mosque and staged a peaceful demonstration seeking an unconditional and immediate release of Mirwaiz. The APHC spokesman in a statement said the continued house detention of the Mirwaiz is a violation of religious sentiments of Kashmiri Muslims and suspension of Mirwaiz’s fundamental human rights.
On the other hand, political experts and analysts in their interviews and statements in Srinagar said Indian Home Minister, Amit Shah’s visit to occupied Jammu and Kashmir is a smokescreen aimed at diverting international community’s attention from grave human rights violations being perpetrated by Indian troops in the territory.
Meanwhile, a large number of Indian Americans and their allies gathered in Washington, DC, and held a demonstration against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assault on democratic values and ongoing human rights violations in India.
The protest, attended by Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and tribal communities, was aimed to raise awareness about the deteriorating state of democracy in India, persecution of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, crackdown on press and civil society.
