In response to critical statements regarding the recent sentencing of 25 civilians by military courts, the Foreign Office (FO) stated on Tuesday that the country’s legal system was in accordance with “international human rights law, including provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).”
Last week, a military court sentenced 25 PTI activists to imprisonment for a period of two to ten years for their involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots, which erupted in the aftermath of the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. This week, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States expressed their apprehensions regarding the sentencing.
According to the EU spokesperson, beneficiary countries, such as Pakistan, have voluntarily consented to the effective implementation of 27 international core conventions, including the ICCPR, in order to maintain their GSP+ status under the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).
In the interim, the PTI, whose activists were among the men sentenced by military tribunals last week, continued to express its dissatisfaction with the verdicts.
The PTI yesterday expressed concern that the prosecution of civilians in military tribunals could further isolate Pakistan on the global stage, describing the international community’s apprehensions as “well-founded and justified.”
The Foreign Office stated in a statement released today that the legal system in the country was in accordance with international human rights law.
“It guarantees the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and has remedies of judicial review by the superior courts,” it stated, noting that the verdicts were rendered in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling and a law enacted by the parliament.
“Pakistan is committed to the promotion of the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law through constructive and productive dialogue.”
The statement stated that Pakistan was firmly dedicated to the implementation of the commitments made under the “GSP Plus Scheme and core international human rights conventions.”
“We will persist in our efforts to maintain the international human rights law, without any form of discrimination or double standards, in collaboration with our international partners, including the European Union,” it stated.
Civilians are sentenced to prison terms of two to ten years by military courts.
On December 21, 25 civilians were sentenced to prison terms varying from two to ten years by military tribunals for their involvement in violent attacks on military installations on May 9 of the previous year.
The development occurred after the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench conditionally permitted military tribunals to declare the verdicts of 85 civilians who were in detention for cases related to the May 9 riots.
After the announcement, individuals who are eligible for release after remissions will be released immediately, while those who have not yet served their sentence will be transferred to the “relevant jail authorities,” as per the Supreme Court order.
The military stated in its statement, “In accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) has issued the punishments to the 25 accused in the first phase. This was done after the examination of all evidence, the fulfilment of all legal rights for the accused, and the completion of the due process.”
The military tribunals have imposed penalties ranging from two to ten years of rigorous imprisonment during the initial phase of sentencing.
The military’s media wing stated that all convicts are entitled to appeal and other legal remedies, as stipulated by the Constitution and the law.
Foreign Office also stated that “the sentences of the remaining accused are also being promulgated and will be announced in the near future once the due process has been completed.”
