The United Nations’ Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has termed the prosecution and detention of former prime minister and PTI founding chairman Imran Khan unlawful and politically motivated.
The UN body made this observation after holding detailed discussion on Toshakhana corruption reference and Cipher case against Khan. It says the other cases against Khan seem also have no fair legal grounds.
Imran Khan is in jail for over a year under multiple charges. The court has already suspended his sentences in two Toshakhana cases, also acquitting him in Cipher case. A session court in Islamabad, however, rejected Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi appeal against sentence in Iddat case, the only hurdle in release of Imran Khan. The PTI has termed the UN report a huge development.
The findings of the UN body during 99th session were finalised on June 18.
“The working group (of the UNS) concludes that his (Imran Khan) detention had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office. Thus, from the outset, that prosecution was not grounded in law and was reportedly instrumentalised for a political purpose,” read the report.
It says how Imran was convicted in the first Toshakhana case and his subsequent arrest by law enforcement personnel who broke into his residence and assaulted him and his staff were concerning and compounded the illegality.
It highlights “lacks a grounding in law, as his actions do not appear to have violated the Official Secrets Act, as was apparently corroborated by the intelligence services, according to the source’s unrebutted submissions”.
“The working group cannot but observe the coincidence in the timing of the four prosecutions, which effectively prevented Mr Khan from contesting the general election originally scheduled for November 2023.”
“The working group urges the government to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr Khan and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights.”
