Wed Jan 01 16:39:23 UTC 2025: **High Court Orders Release of JKLF Founder’s Brother in Kashmir**

Srinagar, January 1, 2025 – The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has ordered the release of Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, brother of Maqbool Bhat, the founder of the separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Mr. Bhat had been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) since June 2022.

The court cited the unexplained delay in executing the detention warrant as a reason for quashing the order. The ruling stated that sufficient time existed to utilize standard criminal procedures, if charges were warranted.

Mr. Bhat’s release comes amidst growing concerns over the detention of other civil society members in Kashmir, particularly lawyers, under the PSA. The case of advocate Nazir Ronga, former acting chairman of the J&K High Court Bar Association, who has been detained for six months without explanation, has drawn criticism. His son, Umair Ronga, highlighted the lack of official statements and the state’s failure to provide legal representation in court. Senior Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti also condemned the perceived “lackadaisical” approach of the administration in Mr. Ronga’s case and the continued detention of others under the PSA and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Three other senior lawyers were also reportedly booked under the PSA last year.

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