Delhi ‘scared’ of Geelani’s public stature: Hurriyat (G)

Srinagar, Feb 23: Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani could not attend the Friday congregational prayers due to his continuous house arrest, a spokesperson of the conglomerate said.
In a statement issued, the spokesperson lashed out at authorities for barring Geelani from offering congregational prayers.
“Geelani and other resistance leaders are barred from performing religious obligations which is interference in religious matters and a clear violation of UN charter wherein performing religious obligations have been recognized as a fundamental right,” he said.
He said Geelani “is a leader of international stature, scholar, a statesman and a writer par excellence” and “there is no constitutional and moral justification to curb his peaceful political activities and stop him from performing religious obligations”. “Geelani continues to be under house detention for past eight years,” the spokesperson said, adding that “authorities in Delhi are scared of his public stature”.
He said Geelani’s residence has been turned into a sub-jail and continuous detention is taking a heavy toll on his health.
Hurriyat spokesperson appealed to human rights organizations and the international community to take cognizance of this “lawlessness, human rights violations and continuous house arrest of Syed Ali Geelani.