Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday called for a review of the life imprisonment awarded to Kashmiri separatist Asiya Andrabi, urging authorities to reconsider the sentence on humanitarian grounds.
Her remarks come a day after a Delhi court sentenced Andrabi to life imprisonment in a case related to alleged anti-national activities.
“Life Imprisonment Should Be Limited to 14 Years”
Mufti questioned the current interpretation of life imprisonment, saying it should not mean incarceration for the entire lifetime of a convict.
“This life imprisonment till the person is alive should be abolished in the whole country. It should be 14 years like it used to be before,” she told reporters.
She argued that the earlier system, where life sentences effectively meant 14 years, should be restored across India.
Calls for Humanitarian Review
While distancing herself from Andrabi’s ideology, Mufti stressed the need for compassion.
“We have differences with her ideology and her way of doing things, but humanity requires that, as she is an aged woman who has already spent several years in jail, her sentence should be reconsidered,” she said.
Mufti highlighted Andrabi’s age and prolonged incarceration as factors that should be taken into account while reviewing her sentence.
Appeal for Parole
The PDP leader also urged the government to consider releasing Andrabi on parole.
“I appeal that it should be reconsidered. The Government of India has already released many people on parole. She should also be released on parole, even if it is conditional,” Mufti said.
She added that both the conviction and the quantum of punishment should be reviewed with a humanitarian perspective.
Background of the Case
Andrabi, founder of the banned group Dukhtaran-e-Millat, was sentenced by a special NIA court for conspiracy and activities linked to separatism. The court had observed that any leniency could encourage further such activities.
The sentencing is part of a broader crackdown on separatist networks in Jammu and Kashmir.
