APHC condemns artist’s arrest for expressing ‘solidarity’ with Palestine

SRINAGAR — All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) today strongly condemned the arrest of Kashmiri artist Mudasir Gul, and his booking under the PSA, for expressing solidarity, through art, with the people of Palestine as well as of 20 other youth for social media posts in support of Palestinians.

APHC in a statement issued here said that ‘the artist and others were only expressing their feelings and nowhere in the world is expressing solidarity with a subjugated people a crime that warrants arrest. APHC said that such policies reflect the “same mindset that is displayed by Israel to persecute the Palestinians.”

APHC said that it demands the immediate release of Mudasir Gul and dozens of others arrested along with him.

APHC said it vehemently condemns the ethnic cleansing of aboriginal Palestinians by Israel and the way they are being evicted from their homes. It said that “people of Kashmir and the Hurriyat stands with the Palestinians and also supports their historic stance based on truth and justice.”

“Hurriyat Conference expects that the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in their upcoming sessions, raise the issue of Israeli attacks, and rein in the apartheid Israeli regime and take concrete steps to safeguard the rights and properties of the people of Palestine,” APHC said.

APHC also expressed serious concern over the arrest of two sons of late Hurriyat leader Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai from their residence last night. APHC said that they should be released and the persecution of the family be stopped.