Pakistan: IBAHRI concerned by violent crackdown against opposition protestors
Friday 6 December 2024
The violent crackdown on opposition protestors in Islamabad, Pakistan and a pattern of intolerance for the right to freedom of peaceful assembly throughout the country has drawn serious concern from the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI).
Gohar Ali Khan, the chairman of the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has reportedly claimed that 12 protesters died in D-Chowk, in the heart of Islamabad. Meanwhile, Pakistani government officials claim that six people, including four members of the security force, one police officer, and one civilian, were killed by demonstrators.
The unlawful use of force by the police against the demonstrators has been cited in reports, including the issuance of ‘shoot on sight’ orders and the deployment of both deadly and non-lethal weapons, such as rubber bullets, slingshots and tear gas.
Reports also reference the arbitrary detention of thousands of PTI protestors and an enforced power outage that disrupted internet and mobile service access. Similar strategies are said to have been used earlier in 2024 to quell protests by Pashtun and Baloch ethnic minorities.
IBAHRI Co-Chair and the Immediate Past Secretary General of the Swedish Bar Association, Anne Ramberg Dr Jur hc, commented: ‘The situation in Pakistan is deeply concerning. IBAHRI recalls Pakistan’s constitutional [Article 16] and international commitments, including under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [Article 20] and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [Article 21], to respect, protect and fulfil, without discrimination, the rights of all persons to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, as well as the right to life. The Government of Pakistan must protect and ensure the rights of protesters; any use of force by security or law enforcement must remain an exception and comply with international human rights standards and the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution and non-discrimination.’
IBAHRI Co-Chair, Mark Stephens CBE, stated: ‘Restrictions on the dissemination of information about protests make it difficult to confirm the full scope of the situation, which is extremely concerning when it comes to accountability avenues for the violations of human rights that have taken place. The need for the international community to unite and demand a comprehensive, unbiased, and efficient investigation into the reported protestor deaths, injuries, and disappearances is all the more crucial. In cases where citizens' rights have not been respected and extrajudicial killings have taken place, Pakistan's authorities must answer for their actions. The IBAHRI will continue to monitor this situation closely.’
Background
On 24 November, the PTI announced protests to call for the release of former prime minister and party leader, Imran Khan. Between 26-27 November, thousands of PTI supporters arrived in Islamabad to rally behind Mr Khan, with his wife, Bushra Bibi, urging people to stay until his release was secured. A power outage was imposed, roadblocks using shipping containers were created to prevent the protestors accessing the city. Despite this, protestors managed to dismantle the roadblocks and reach the centre of Islamabad where clashes between protestors and law enforcement took place. Amid the reported violence, the PTI-estimated arrests of more than four thousand party members and some missing members, the PTI has cancelled further protests.
ENDS
Contact: IBAHRI@int-bar.org
Notes to the reader:
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The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), established in 1995 under Founding Honorary President Nelson Mandela, is an autonomous entity working to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.
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Find the IBAHRI on social media here:
- The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, with the aim of protecting and promoting the rule of law globally, the IBA was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
- Find the IBA on social media here:
Website page link for this news release:
Short link: https://tinyurl.com/2aabvhte
Full link: https://www.ibanet.org/Pakistan-IBAHRI-concerned-by-violent-crackdown-against-opposition-protestors