The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has declared Imran Khan’s detention as arbitrary and against international law, demanding his immediate release.
In their statement issued on Monday, the group asserted that the correct course of action would be to immediately free Khan and ensure he receives compensation and reparations as dictated by international law.
The UN working group criticized the broader actions against the former prime minister, labelling them a campaign of repression against him and his party, PTI. This includes the arrests of PTI leaders, alleged custodial torture, and restrictions on electoral campaigning before the February 8 general elections.
The UN group also mentioned accusations of extensive electoral fraud on election day, suggesting the theft of numerous parliamentary seats. The Pakistani embassy in Washington has yet to respond, while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denies the allegations of rigged elections.
Imran Khan, who led Pakistan from 2018 until his April 2022 ousting via a no-confidence vote orchestrated by a coalition of opposition parties, faces multiple legal challenges ranging from corruption to terrorism.
Read: Religious Scholar Fails to Mediate Between Imran Khan and Military Establishment
Despite his imprisonment since last August and facing convictions in some cases before the recent elections, courts have suspended his sentences in two cases and overturned his conviction for leaking state secrets. Nevertheless, his imprisonment continues due to a conviction in the iddat case, which deemed his 2018 marriage unlawful. Last month, a trial court refused to suspend the sentences in this case, blocking his release.
Additionally, Khan faces charges under anti-terrorism laws linked to violence in May last year.
Following his removal from office, Imran Khan faced various legal challenges, including one that barred him from participating in February’s elections. Despite not running, PTI-backed candidates secured the most seats, but the PML-N and PPP coalition governments outmanoeuvred them.
Internationally, concerns about election irregularities and related violence have prompted calls from the US, Britain, and the EU for investigations.
