KL Report
SRINAGAR
A seminar on “Human Rights Violations” with reference to Universal Declaration on Human Rights was held today by High Court Bar Association Srinagar in Sadder complex.
Various speakers, spoke on the topic and besides highlighting the need of stopping the Human Rights Violations all over the world and particularly from the State of J&K, they stressed that lawyers should use their respective competence to ensure that the just rule of International Law prevails and protects the citizens from the abuse of state, groups or individuals.
M. A. Qayoom, Advocate and President of the Bar Association, in his inaugural speech, while giving a brief account of the various provisions of Universal Declaration on Human Rights said that in terms of this declaration every person is born free and he cannot be kept in slavery by anyone. He has a right to live a free life. He cannot be subjected to torture or arbitrary arrest or detention. He cannot be sentenced to any imprisonment without a fair trial. He has right of speech and expression and he can form any association or can be a member of any group.
Qayoom also indicated that interms of Article 5&6 of UN Charter, any county which is member of UN, can be suspended or expelled if that country doesnot abide by the decision of the UNO. He said that UN Security Council has passed 18 resolutions on Kashmir asking India and Pakistan to give right of self-determination to the people of J&K, but India has failed to implement the Security Council Resolutions and no action has been taken by the world body against India. He requested that the lawyers should play their role and strive hard for achieving the right of self-determination of the peopleof Kashmir.
Arshad Andrabi, Advocate, readout the statement of the UN High Commissioneron Human Rights day and stated that interms of the said statement also the Human Rights office has assured to continue to work with all partners to try to prevent human rights breaches from occurring and to be vocal about human rights violations.
Parweena Ahanger, Chairperson, of the Association of Disappeared Persons, stated that she is thankful of the Bar Association that they have always helped us in the matters concerning the detenues, undertrial prisoners and disappeared persons.
G. N. Shaheen, Advocate, stated that 10th of December, is a universal declaration of human rights day and is being observed from 1948. At the time of adopting of this resolution, there were only 103 countries and now there are about 200 counties, but the human rights situation in the world has not improved.
While concluding the seminar, the Bar Secretary read a letter, written by the father of Tufail Mattoo, who was martyred on 11.06.2013 was also read in which he has requested the Amnesty International to monitor the progress of the case relating to the killing of his son Tufail Mattoo, which is pending in the High Court and in which arguments were heard on 02.07.2013, by Mr. Justice Verinder Singh, and Judgment was reserved, but despite the lapse of more than five months, the verdict has not been announced.
The President of the Bar Association also released copy of the first Bar Newsletter in which besides other things the reports about the filling of review petition in Pepper Gas and Pellet Gun case, establishing of Human Rights Desk in the Bar Association, constitution of a committee to eradicate the Toutism activities in the Bar Association and the importance of universal declaration of 1948 viz-a-viz Kashmir issue are highlighted.
