#FreeShabirShah Campaign Launched to Save the Life of Kashmiri Prisoner of Conscience
Press Release: November 19th, 2021
Point of Contact, Tazeen Hasan: info@justiceforallcanada.org
Justice For All Canada, a nonprofit global human rights organization, launched the #FreeShabirShah campaign on November 8 2021 to advocate for the release of Shabir Shah on humanitarian and medical grounds. The campaign encourages individuals and human rights groups to pressure Canada’s Prime Minister and their local Members of Parliament to save Shah’s life and release him closer to his family’s home in Srinagar (Capital of Indian-Administered Kashmir).
Shah is a Kashmiri activist and community leader serving over 34 years in prison. According to his family, he faces critical health conditions while incarcerated in India’s Tihar Jail. Shah was declared a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International in 1992. He is one of the most popular political leaders in Indian-Administered-Kashmir. His longstanding non-consecutive detention took place without a single legitimate conviction against him.
Tihar Jail’s medical staff advised Shah to undergo two surgeries and a possible biopsy. Justice For All Canada was informed that his family demanded his release on bail for independent medical treatment and surgeries. If Shah does not receive immediate care, the consequences may be fatal due to his ailing health.
For his most recent arrest, Shah has already served four years of pretrial detention for a 14-year-old unfounded case. During this period, the prosecution failed to collect nor provide any evidence against him. Given Shah's previous arbitrary arrests, and over 30 years of imprisonment, it’s evident that his arrest is once again for political reasons only.
“Considering Shabir Shah’s precarious health condition, we launched an emergency campaign that seeks his unconditional release,” explained Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All Canada.
“Through our campaign launch, Canadians are petitioning the Federal government to advocate for his release on bail for humanitarian and medical reasons to save his life. Regardless of his legal status, under international fair trial standards Shah is entitled to a bail grant during his prolonged pretrial detention,” said Tazeen Hasan, Free Shabir Shah Campaign Manager.
Justice For All Canada has contacted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the United Nations Office of Commissioner of Human Rights, and Amnesty International to address the issue of arbitrary detention of Kashmiri leadership. Shah’s daughter, Sehar Shah, is available to comment on her father’s situation.
If Shah is not released on bail, authorities might move him to Kashmir for house arrest, which will be more detrimental to deteriorating health conditions.
About Jammu and Kashmir
Kashmiris, the people of this Muslim-majority region, have been struggling for their right to self-determination since 1948 in Indian-Occupied Kashmir. In 1948, their right was accepted by the United Nations Security Council. Seventy-four years have passed, but a referendum has not been held. According to the reports by human rights organizations, the Indian State is violating the population's fundamental human rights. Enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture in police custody, detentions and use of violence on peaceful protestors, convictions after a trial in the Kangaroo courts, and baseless accusations have been recorded by human rights organizations and the media. India is the signatory of the human rights Charter, the Geneva Conventions, the Genocide Convention, and the United Nations Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. However, the State is not fulfilling its obligations towards Kashmir, an occupied territory according to international humanitarian law, i.e., Geneva Convention. Recently, Genocide Watch, a global organization that monitors early warning signs of genocide, has raised concerns that India is beginning to perpetrate genocide in Kashmir. According to human rights groups, India has detained thousands of Kashmiris, all justified by a special act called the Public Safety Act. These detentions violate the Indian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which India has signed. The State is not fulfilling its obligations to ensure the right to freedom from arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial.
Point of Contact, Tazeen Hasan: info@justiceforallcanada.org
Justice For All Canada, a nonprofit global human rights organization, launched the #FreeShabirShah campaign on November 8 2021 to advocate for the release of Shabir Shah on humanitarian and medical grounds. The campaign encourages individuals and human rights groups to pressure Canada’s Prime Minister and their local Members of Parliament to save Shah’s life and release him closer to his family’s home in Srinagar (Capital of Indian-Administered Kashmir).
Shah is a Kashmiri activist and community leader serving over 34 years in prison. According to his family, he faces critical health conditions while incarcerated in India’s Tihar Jail. Shah was declared a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International in 1992. He is one of the most popular political leaders in Indian-Administered-Kashmir. His longstanding non-consecutive detention took place without a single legitimate conviction against him.
Tihar Jail’s medical staff advised Shah to undergo two surgeries and a possible biopsy. Justice For All Canada was informed that his family demanded his release on bail for independent medical treatment and surgeries. If Shah does not receive immediate care, the consequences may be fatal due to his ailing health.
For his most recent arrest, Shah has already served four years of pretrial detention for a 14-year-old unfounded case. During this period, the prosecution failed to collect nor provide any evidence against him. Given Shah's previous arbitrary arrests, and over 30 years of imprisonment, it’s evident that his arrest is once again for political reasons only.
“Considering Shabir Shah’s precarious health condition, we launched an emergency campaign that seeks his unconditional release,” explained Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All Canada.
“Through our campaign launch, Canadians are petitioning the Federal government to advocate for his release on bail for humanitarian and medical reasons to save his life. Regardless of his legal status, under international fair trial standards Shah is entitled to a bail grant during his prolonged pretrial detention,” said Tazeen Hasan, Free Shabir Shah Campaign Manager.
Justice For All Canada has contacted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the United Nations Office of Commissioner of Human Rights, and Amnesty International to address the issue of arbitrary detention of Kashmiri leadership. Shah’s daughter, Sehar Shah, is available to comment on her father’s situation.
If Shah is not released on bail, authorities might move him to Kashmir for house arrest, which will be more detrimental to deteriorating health conditions.
About Jammu and Kashmir
Kashmiris, the people of this Muslim-majority region, have been struggling for their right to self-determination since 1948 in Indian-Occupied Kashmir. In 1948, their right was accepted by the United Nations Security Council. Seventy-four years have passed, but a referendum has not been held. According to the reports by human rights organizations, the Indian State is violating the population's fundamental human rights. Enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture in police custody, detentions and use of violence on peaceful protestors, convictions after a trial in the Kangaroo courts, and baseless accusations have been recorded by human rights organizations and the media. India is the signatory of the human rights Charter, the Geneva Conventions, the Genocide Convention, and the United Nations Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. However, the State is not fulfilling its obligations towards Kashmir, an occupied territory according to international humanitarian law, i.e., Geneva Convention. Recently, Genocide Watch, a global organization that monitors early warning signs of genocide, has raised concerns that India is beginning to perpetrate genocide in Kashmir. According to human rights groups, India has detained thousands of Kashmiris, all justified by a special act called the Public Safety Act. These detentions violate the Indian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which India has signed. The State is not fulfilling its obligations to ensure the right to freedom from arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial.