Reacting to the sentencing of 25 suspects involved in the May 9 incidents by military courts, Britain said on Monday that military courts lack transparency, independent scrutiny and undermine the right to a fair trial.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the UK calls on the federal government to uphold its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
However, the spokesman said that the UK respects Pakistan’s sovereignty over its legal proceedings.
On May 9, 2023, 25 people involved in attacks on state facilities were sentenced to 2 to 10 years in prison by military courts.
“Field General Court Martial (FGCM) has registered. [the] In the first phase, 25 accused were convicted,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said of the accused who resorted to violence during the May 9 protest.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and European Union (EU) objected to these sentences.
A day earlier, the European Union had expressed concern over the sentencing of 25 accused by a military court, saying the verdicts were inconsistent with Pakistan’s obligations under the ICCPR.
“According to Article 14 of the ICCPR, everyone has the right to a fair and public trial by a court that is independent, impartial and competent, and to adequate and effective legal representation”. External Action Service.
Further, it said, Article 14 also provides that “any judgment pronounced in a criminal case shall be made public”.
Under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), beneficiary countries including Pakistan have voluntarily agreed to effectively implement 27 international core conventions – including the ICCPR – to continue to enjoy GSP+ status. can be kept
The protests erupted after PTI founder Imran Khan was detained in a corruption case. As a result, hundreds of party workers were arrested and more than 100 civilians are facing military trials.
However, the party maintained that it had no role in incidents involving military installations, including the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ), and called for a judicial inquiry into last year’s incidents.