The families of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra, on Friday announced their legal teams had filed two urgent appeals with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, seeking an inquiry into their cases and end to the alleged ill-treatment of the two individuals immediately.
In a statement, the families said filings submitted to Special Rapporteur Dr. Alice Edwards detailed a “pattern of severe abuses in detention—including prolonged solitary confinement, physical abuse, denial of medical care, contaminated food, and the persistent denial of access to legal counsel and family,” which they argue amount to torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
The filings emphasize that such alleged acts violate Pakistan’s obligations under the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The statement notes that Khan has been imprisoned since 2023 and is facing a cumulative 14-year prison sentence on “fabricated charges.”
It also cites a judgment from the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that said Khan’s detention was arbitrary, politically motivated, and in violation of international law. It reiterates claims that Khan is kept in solitary confinement and has endured harsh conditions. For Bushra, it claims she has also been targeted with politically motivated charges and is serving seven years in prison. “Her imprisonment is part of a campaign to break both her and her husband, and to apply psychological pressure on Imran Khan by targeting his wife,” it states, echoing previous statements from Khan.
“Neither Imran Khan nor Bushra Khan should be in prison in the first place, let alone be subjected to torture and ill treatment,” said Jared Genser, international counsel to the Khans. “This combination of illegal detention and horrific mistreatment is intolerable under international law, and the United Nations and governments worldwide must act now to protect their rights and secure their release,” he added.
The statement notes that the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture reports to the U.N. Human Rights Council and has the authority to intervene when credible allegations of torture are presented. “The mandate includes communicating with governments to demand they respect the right to physical and mental integrity of detainees, conducting fact-finding visits, and submitting reports to both the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly,” it adds.
“The United Nations has already found Imran Khan’s detention to be arbitrary, and Mrs. Khan’s imprisonment rests on equally spurious charges,” said Jacob Bogart, another international counsel to the Khans. “Their continued solitary confinement, denial of adequate medical care, and exposure to contaminated food all violate Pakistan’s binding obligations under international law. The Government of Pakistan should take immediate steps to release Mr. and Mrs. Khan and improve the conditions of detention for all those still detained,” he added.
The statement claims Khan and his wife’s ongoing detention threatens to deepen social and political divisions in Pakistan and their freedom is necessary for the country’s stability and democratic progress. It has urged the U.N. to stand with Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi and democracy in Pakistan.
“In filing this urgent appeal, we are making clear that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are not forgotten,” said Zulfi Bukhari, adviser to Imran Khan on International Affairs and International Media. “They are enduring unlawful imprisonment and degrading treatment, but they remain symbols of courage and peaceful resistance. The world must not look away—silence only emboldens those who seek to crush democracy in Pakistan,” he added.