Sixty more citizens sentenced to prison by Pakistani military court

 Thursday, December 26, 2024

Islamabad (UrduPoint News Today / Pakistan Point News - DW Urdu - 26th December 2024) According to reports received from the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Thursday, December 26, the allegations against these civilian suspects were proven that they were involved in attacks on military installations in different parts of the country during the protests and riots that began immediately after the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023.

May 9 and military courts: Conditional yes from the Supreme Court Constitution Bench

A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of the Pakistani military said that the dozens of suspects who were sentenced today include a relative of Imran Khan and two retired military officers.

Almost all of these suspects belong to Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Total number of civilians convicted by current military courts

The Reuters news agency has written in its reports that this is not the first time that a military court in Pakistan has sentenced civilian defendants in connection with the events of May 9 last year. Just a few days ago, 25 other civilian defendants were also sentenced to prison on similar charges.

Thus, the total number of defendants convicted by military courts in connection with attacks on military installations or places of military importance in the country has now reached 85.

These military courts in Pakistan are criticized both domestically and internationally.

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What happened on May 9 last year?

The attacks on Pakistani military installations at several places during the public protest of political activists against the arrest of Imran Khan on May 9 last year were a protest against Pakistan's army, which is considered very powerful, which has never been seen before.

An ISPR statement on today’s sentences said, “The nation, the government and the armed forces are fully committed to ensuring that the demands of justice are met and that the unquestionable supremacy of the state is maintained at all times.”

May 9: Army anger, Khan’s popularity undiminished

Following the sentences handed down to PTI workers, Imran Khan’s political supporters are now concerned that the Pakistani military will play an even more decisive role in the cases against their leader Imran Khan.

Imran Khan has faced dozens of cases against him since leaving power, including cases alleging that he incited attacks against the country’s armed forces.

International concern over the conduct of military courts

There is also considerable international concern over the trials of political activists in military courts in Pakistan, who are treated as civilians.

The US has said it is “deeply concerned” about these sentences, while the British Foreign Office has also said that there is a “lack of transparency” in the process of trying civilian defendants in military courts and that “the absence of impartial scrutiny has affected the fair and just conduct of such cases.”

In addition, the European Union has also criticized these sentences.

The European Union has said that these sentences are “not consistent with Pakistan’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

The Pakistani government’s position

In the same context in Pakistan, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had said in a press conference on Wednesday, December 25, “The right to a fair legal process is not denied to the accused in these courts because they have access to lawyers and their families and they can appeal against court decisions twice.”

One of these appeals can be made in a military court and the other in a civilian court, which will be the relevant High Court.”

Why civilians in military courts?

Imran Khan’s supporters deny the allegations of lawbreaking against them, while Imran Khan himself claims that these cases were filed due to political motives.

On the other hand, both the Pakistani government and the country’s army say that no unfair treatment or action has been taken against Imran Khan or his supporters.