After over four years in “house detention”, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has moved J&K High Court seeking his release.
Last month Mirwaiz had sent a legal notice to the government for his release and warned of challenging it in the court if it failed to come up with a positive response.
Anjuman Auqaf , the managing body of historical Jamia mosque in old Srinagar- said three weeks back a legal notice was sent to the authorities to come clean on the status of his detention and release Mirwaiz.
“But no written response was received to the notice,” they said.
As such, a writ petition was filed in the J&K High court by the legal team of the Mirwaiz, seeking order or direction upon the authorities to release the petitioner from illegal and unauthorised detention as the petitioner has been detained, house arrested at his Nigeen residence without any order or authority in law, Anjuman said.
The separatist leader Mirwaiz, who is also the chief priest,has been under “house detention” since August 4, 2019 — a day before the union government scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and downgraded the state into two union territories.
The writ petition further requested the High Court that it may issue an appropriate writ or order, asking the respondents to lift the siege outside the residential house of the petitioner.
It also submitted that he be allowed to deliver his Friday sermons and lead the Friday religious prayers at Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta Srinagar, and removal of any impediments into the day-to-day life of the Mirwaiz including his free movement as a citizen , and allow him to avail the freedom and liberty guaranteed to petitioner under the Constitution.
Last year, J&K’s Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said Mirwaiz is not under house arrest and he is free to move anywhere.
