EU expresses concern over sentencing of civilians by Pakistani military court

Islamabad: The European Union (EU) has expressed concern over the sentencing of 25 Pakistani civilians by a military court in the South Asian country, saying it was “inconsistent” with Pakistan’s international obligations.

The Pakistani military announced on Saturday the sentencing of 25 people for participating in violent protests on May 9, 2023, when hundreds carrying flags of former prime minister Imran Khan’s party had attacked government and military installations.

The protests, which erupted in several Pakistani cities, followed Khan’s brief detention on corruption charges from an Islamabad court, resulting in damage to major military facilities and martyrs’ monuments in the country.

The military said it had gathered “irrefutable evidence” against those prosecuted. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has demanded a judicial investigation into the May 9, 2023 events and said Saturday’s verdicts were “against the principles of justice.”

“These verdicts are seen as inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),” Anouar El Anouni a spokesperson for EU foreign affairs and security policy, said in a statement.

“In line with article 14 of ICCPR every person is entitled to a fair and public trial in a court that is independent, impartial and competent, and has the right to adequate and effective legal representation. It also stipulates that any judgment rendered in a criminal case shall be made public.”

The statement noted that under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), beneficiary countries, including Pakistan, had voluntarily agreed to effectively implement 27 international core conventions, including the ICCPR, in order to continue benefitting from the special trade arrangement. The preferential trade status under the GSP+ scheme grants Pakistani exports duty-free access to the European market.

The EU has previously raised concerns over extremist violence perpetrated in the name of religion in Pakistan, specifically mentioning its blasphemy laws and forced conversions, which it says have marginalized religious minorities.

The sentencing of civilians in May 2023 riots cases has also raised concerns among supporters of ex-PM Khan, who faces charges of inciting attacks against the armed forces and may potentially be tried in a military court.

Pakistan has remained gripped by political unrest and uncertainty since Khan’s ouster from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, which has also exacerbated Pakistan’s economic hardships.

On Sunday, the Pakistani government formed a committee to hold talks with the opposition PTI party on a range of issues causing political polarization, Pakistani state media reported. Senior government representatives have also recently acknowledged that negotiations could offer a pathway out of the current political impasse.