Some 100 protestors marking International Human Rights Day were detained in Indian occupied Kashmir on Friday during demonstrations against abuses by Indian occupation troops, police said. More than 500 activists of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) marched in occupied Srinagar, chanting anti-government and pro-Pakistan slogans. Police fired teargas and used batons to disperse them, injuring a dozen people. "Some 75 protesters were taken into preventive custody for disturbing law and order," a police officer said.
Among those detained were Sheikh Abdul Aziz, Nayeem Khan and Ghulam Nabi Saumji.
Nayeem Khan had told AFP the protest was to register anger against "rising human rights violations in Kashmir by the Indian (occupation) troops."
More than 100 members of the National Conference party, led by two state lawmakers, staged a noisy march in occupied Srinagar. "Down with state terrorism", they chanted. "We want (an) end to human rights violations."
"During the present regime human rights violations at the hands of security forces have increased manifold. We want (an) end to them," said Ali Mohammed Sagar, senior leader of the party, which lost power in 2003.
During two more demonstrations in occupied Srinagar police detained over two dozen activists, including pro-independence leaders Bashir Bhat, Javed Mir and Tahir Mir, police and witnesses said.
Senior APHC leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Shabir Shah were put under house arrest to prevent them leading protests.