Human Rights Watch seeks changes
in Pakistan's anti-terrorism law
As a Pakistani anti-terrorism court prepares to hear the cases against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharief, Human Rights Watch has urged that the legislation creating the courts be amended and the trial be conducted in full accordance with international fair trial standards.
''In its current form, the anti-terrorism law infringes on civil liberties and due process of law,'' said Mike Jendrzejczyk, Washington director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division.
Noting that the courts had been used selectively against political opponents by both the Sharief administration and the current military government, he added: ''The trial of prime minister Sharief gives the international community the chance to scrutinise the use of these courts, which sacrifice due process in the interest of speedy trials,'' an official release of the New York-based rights group said.
Sharief, who was removed from office by the Pakistani military on October 12 following a coup, has been charged, along with four other defendants, with criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, hijacking, kidnapping and terrorism.
The charges stem from events on the day of the coup, when a civilian plane carrying army chief General Pervez Musharraf and some 200 other passengers was prevented from landing at Karachi airport, allegedly on Sharief's orders.
Sharief and his co-defendants could be sentenced to life in prison or death if convicted.
UNI
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