Incarcerated MP Engineer Rashid’s supporters hold protest in New Delhi for his release

Supporters of incarcerated Engineer Rashid, 57, who heads the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and is a Member of Parliament (MP) from north Kashmir’s Baramulla, on Monday (August 25, 2025) held a demonstration at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to press for his release.

“It’s a symbolic protest to highlight the issue of prisoners, including MP Rashid. He represents four million people. He has already completed six years in jail. We are protesting for his release. We appeal to the Supreme Court that Rashid and all those youth lodged in jails of the country be set free,” said Sheikh Khursheed, brother of Mr. Rashid and MLA of Langate.

An AIP spokesman said the sit-in protest was held on the completion of six years of incarceration by Mr. Rashid. “All innocents should be released. We want all those suffering in jail to be released,” Sheikh Ashiq, a leader of the AIP, said.

The protesting AIP leaders said jailing Mr. Rashid “despite overwhelming public support is unjust and travesty of justice”.

Mr. Rashid’s supporters termed the continued detention of the MP as an “assault on democracy” and “an attempt to undermine the mandate” of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Several supporters were carrying placards reading: ‘‘Prison walls cannot silence people’s mandate”.

Mr. Rashid defeated National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Parliament election and contested the elections from jail. He was arrested in 2019, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) slapped charges of “terror funding” under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against him.

Mr. Rashid was allowed to campaign during the Assembly elections and was granted short-term bail last year. However, he had to surrender again on October 28, 2024 before the court. The MP is currently lodged in the Tihar Jail and had to pay the expenses from his pocket to attend Parliament during the recent autumn session.