Different newspapers reported today that 54 persons have been arrested in different places and sentenced for different terms on spot trial as they were intending to start demonstration in favour of hartal. Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) is seriously concerned at this incident of mass arrest.

According to different newspapers, on Saturday, June 11, 2011, the opposition party activists tried to start demonstration in support of hartal. At that time, the law enforcing agencies arrested 54 persons from different places and convicted them on spot through Mobile Court trial. We apprehend that in the name of combating hooliganism by the use of Mobile Court during hartal and other political programmes, innocent people will also be victimized. Several times in past general people had been affected along with the political activists in the name of mass arrest by the government.

We demand that the government should restrain itself from convicting people by Mobile Court during hartal and other political programmes. At the same time, grave concern at this incident.