Rights body slams Pakistan govt for use of force against Imran Khan supporters

Islamabad: Pakistani authorities’ repeated use of high-pressure water cannons against peaceful protesters outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi is a flagrant violation of their right to peaceful assembly, the Amnesty International said on Wednesday.

The protestors were reportedly demonstrating against the repeated denial of court-ordered visits for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is lodged in Adiala jail.

According to the human rights organisation, on Tuesday night, a peaceful sit-in outside the jail was once again dispersed using water cannons in freezing temperatures, with participants alleging the water contained chemical irritants. It stated that the international human rights standards permit the use of water cannons only in situations of serious public disorder and widespread violence.

Condemning the incident, Amnesty International stressed that the Pakistan authorities must respect people’s right to peacefully protest and end the disproportionate and punitive use of force.

“These actions raise serious concerns around the safety of peaceful protesters and non-compliance of the court order by the authorities. Recently, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture also condemned Khan’s prolonged solitary confinement of 23 hours a day in poor conditions as unlawful and amounting to psychological torture under international standards,” it stated.

The rights body stated that denying visits by family and legal counsel violates Pakistan’s commitments under international human rights conventions such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) as well as due process safeguards. Citing the United Nations’ Nelson Mandela Rules, it noted that the prohibition of family contact cannot be used as a disciplinary and punitive measure.

Amnesty International called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately restore Imran Khan’s access to family and legal counsel as per international human rights law and to ensure that the conditions of detention fully comply with international norms and standards.

Last week, the United Nations Special Rapporteur urged the government of Pakistan to take immediate and effective action to address concerns over “inhumane and undignified” detention conditions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, warning that they could amount to torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment.

“I call on Pakistani authorities to ensure that Khan’s conditions of detention fully comply with international norms and standards,” said UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards.

“Since his transfer to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on 26 September 2023, Imran Khan has reportedly been held for excessive periods in solitary confinement, confined for 23 hours a day in his cell, and with highly restricted access to the outside world. His cell is reportedly under constant camera surveillance,” she added.

IANS