ISLAMABAD : The UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, on Friday urged the Pakistani authorities to take immediate and effective action to address reports of inhumane and undignified detention conditions of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, warning that they could amount to torture and other cruel or degrading treatment.
Imran Khan, a cricketer turned politician who has been detained since August 2023, received a sentence of 14 years imprisonment in 2024 over charges of corruption and selling state secrets. Edwards says,
Since his transfer to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on 26 September 2023, Imran Khan has reportedly been held for excessive periods in solitary confinement, confined for 23 hours a day in his cell, and with highly restricted access to the outside world. His cell is reportedly under constant camera surveillance.
Prolonged or indefinite solitary confinement is prohibited under international human rights law, with confinement longer than 15 days constituting psychological torture.
According to information received by the UN rapporteur, “Khan is not permitted outdoor activity or interaction with other detainees and is unable to join communal prayers. Visits from lawyers, family members, and others authorized by the courts are frequently interrupted or ended prematurely.”
Furthermore, he is held in a small cell with minimal ventilation and sunlight. Imran Khan is 72 suffers from a history of medical issues, such as a serious spinal injury from an accident in 2013 and gunshot wounds from an assassination attempt in 2022.
“Anyone deprived of liberty must be treated with humanity and dignity,” Edwards said. “Detention conditions must reflect the individual’s age and health situation, including appropriate sleeping arrangements, climatic protection, adequate space, lighting, heating, and ventilation.”
Despite Khan’s continued detention, his supporters have rallied behind him in protest resulting in crackdowns from authorities with thousands being arrested. Moreover, political candidates supported by Imran Khan continue to achieve electoral success, winning the highest number of seats compared to other parties.
Edward continued, “Khan has reportedly been denied adequate medical attention…I urge the authorities to allow a visit by his personal physicians.”
The Special Rapporteur has raised Imran Khan’s situation with the Government of Pakistan and will continue to follow developments.
