In a report calling for his immediate release, a U.N. human rights working group on Monday described Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s detention as arbitrary and in violation of international law.
In its opinion, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the Human Rights Council said the “appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Khan immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.” It further claimed Khan’s legal woes were part of a “much larger campaign of repression” against him and his party, pointing to the detention of various party leaders and the alleged custodial torture inflicted on them in custody, as well as barriers to organizing campaign rallies ahead of the Feb. 8 general elections.
Referring to a “source”—presumably a PTI-affiliated individual—the report also alleged the “widespread fraud on election day, stealing dozens of parliamentary seats.” A recurring refrain from the PTI, the Election Commission of Pakistan has repeatedly denied allegations of irregularities in the polls.
Detained since August 2023, Khan is currently incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, as he remains a convict in the Iddat case. Khan and his wife Bushra’s Bibi’s appeals against the sentence are currently pending before an Islamabad court. The Islamabad High Court, meanwhile, has already suspended Khan’s jail sentences in two cases related to illegal acquisition and sale of state gifts, and overturned his conviction on charges of leaking state secrets in the cipher case.
In its report, which is nonbinding and unlikely to have much impact beyond supporting the PTI’s narrative of repression, the working group has requested Islamabad to take all steps necessary for Khan’s release in line with international norms. “The working group urges the government to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr. Khan and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights,” it states, while urging for all laws within the country to be brought into conformity with the recommendations made.
As part of subsequent actions, the working group requests an update from the government within six months on its recommendations, including whether and when Khan was released and what compensation he was provided. “The government is invited to inform the working group of any difficulties it may have encountered in implementing the recommendations made in the present opinion and whether further technical assistance is required, for example through a visit by the working group,” it adds.