Mirwaiz Umar released from house detention after over four years

SRINAGAR: Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and chairman of his faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference alliance, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has been released from prolonged house detention and is heading for Srinagar’s Grand Mosque to deliver a sermon at the Friday congregation.

Confirming it, the 50-year-old cleric and politician told this correspondent, “The police siege around my house was lifted this (Friday) morning. Last evening, the authorities informed me I’m being released from house detention and am free to go anywhere.” He added, “I would be leaving for Jama Masjid at around 12.30 pm to discharge my responsibility as the Mirwaiz (chief priest). I was unjustly stopped from doing it for more than four years.”

The mosque management – Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jama Masjid said in a statement, “Senior police officials visited the residence of the Mirwaiz on Thursday to inform him that the authorities have decided to release him from house detention and allow him to go to Jama Masjid for Friday prayers.”

Mirwaiz Umar was placed under house arrest by the Jammu and Kashmir authorities in a massive crackdown on opposition parties ahead of the centre's abrogating Articles 370 and 35A splitting the state into two Union territories on August 5, 2019.  

The Mirwaiz had recently moved the J&K and Ladakh High Court, challenging his house detention “without any order or authority in law” and seeking order or direction upon the respondents (J&K authorities) to release him from “illegal and unauthorised detention”. He had pleaded before the court that he be allowed to deliver Friday sermons and lead the Friday congregational prayers at Srinagar's Grand Mosque and that the “impediments into his day-to-day life including his free movement as a citizen be removed” and he should be allowed “to avail the freedom and liberty guaranteed to him under the (Indian) Constitution.

The court had on September 15 given four weeks’ time to the Jammu and Kashmir administration to file its response to the Mirwaiz’s petition.