US calls for release of Kashmir leaders held 'without charge'

WASHINGTON: The US has urged India to release political leaders detained without charge in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a briefing about her recently concluded three-nation tour, Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, said: "On Jammu and Kashmir, I was pleased to see some incremental steps, including the partial return of internet services in Kashmir.And the visit by our ambassador and other foreign diplomats to Jammu and Kashmir is something that I know was extensively covered in the press."
"We also continue to urge the government to permit regular access by our diplomats, and to move swiftly to release those political leaders detained without charge," Wells said.
Envoys of 15 countries, including the US, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Maldives, Morocco, Fiji, Norway, Philippines, Argentina, visited the Valley earlier this month.
Commenting on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Wells said, "The visit also offered an opportunity to hear more regarding developments with India's Citizenship Amendment Act, which is undergoing I would say a vigorous democratic scrutiny, whether it's in the streets, by the political opposition, media, and the courts. We continue to underscore the importance of the principle of equal protection under the law."