Pathribal fake case: Victims’ families not to participate in trial

Srinagar, March 03, 2013 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the Indian army has agreed to hold the court martial trial in Pathribal fake encounter case but the victim families, expressing apprehensions about the proceedings in the army court, have once again refused to participate in the trial.

Abdul Rashid Khan, son of one of the victims, Juma Khan in a media interview in Srinagar said, “We are very much apprehensive about the proceedings of the case in army court. Holding the court martial trial in Kashmir Valley was one of our demands. Our other demand was that we be allowed to have a counsel of our own choice who could accompany us to the army court for translating our statements. So we cannot participate in the trial until and unless a counsel of our own choice.”

He also said, if army does not allow them a counsel then there should be an open trial. “All of us having been summoned by the army as witnesses for the incident happen to be illiterate. We don’t know what they are going to record and write. They may twist our statements. How can we repose any trust in the people who have not been able to deliver justice to us in 13 years. So we demand that we be either allowed to have our own counsel or open trial be held wherein media should be allowed to cover the proceedings,” Rashid said.

Shakoor Ahmad Khan, son of another namesake victim, said that there was no question of participation in the trial in army court without their own counsel and security.

“No doubt the army has fulfilled one of our demands but that is not enough to convince us for attending the trial. My aged and sick mother cannot muster courage to attend the army court until and unless somebody else accompanies her. Besides the counsel, the authorities should also provide us the security,” he added.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Phone: 92-51-4435548, 4435549
Fax: 92-51-4861736