
Death of Mohammed Ashraf Sehrai in Police Custody: Violence and Repression Must End in Jammu and Kashmir
World Kashmir Awareness Forum Honors Sehrai’s Legacy of Political Action, Commitment to National Self-Determination
“Sehrai was one of Kashmir’s most courageous and fearless leaders. A thinker, scholar and a gemstone of intellect and logic, he was a man with a mission, who never placed personal considerations above the Kashmiri people’s aspirations for peace and self-determination. He is a giant in Kashmir’s turbulent history, with a legacy that will never be forgotten.
Sehrai’s death was no accident. It is a direct result of the Indian occupying forces’ political persecution and criminal negligence. Sehrai was arrested in June 2020 under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, a notorious tool of repression that allows Indian authorities to detain anyone for up to two years without trial. Despite his advanced age and serious health conditions, some of which are consequences of past torture, Sehrai was consistently denied medical care. Under these conditions, and amid a virulent second wave of COVID-19, his death was a certainty.
Sehrai was a great writer, orator and scholar, who lectured about the Kashmir dispute in almost every nook and corner of the State. As a tireless advocate for the will of both the people and the United Nations Security Council, he knew that the road ahead is long, and requires dedication and sacrifice.
We, Kashmiris, at home and throughout the diaspora mourn this cruel and senseless tragedy. Though he is gone, his message will never be silenced. Sehrai’s commitment to and faith in a brighter future lives on in all of us.”
About WKA (the World Kashmir Awareness Forum)
Founded in 2005, the World Kashmir Awareness Forum is an Ohio-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on providing information on the conflict in Kashmir and advocating for Kashmiris in the region and throughout the diaspora. To accomplish its mission, World Kashmir Awareness Forum produces, aggregates and amplifies news articles and events relevant to the region, organizes and participates in demonstrations and rallies, and engages in advocacy efforts with diplomatic, civic, religious, human rights, political and advocacy organizations, confronting the human rights abuses perpetrated in Kashmir and supporting the region’s right to self-determination. Learn more at kashmirawareness.org.