Pakistan: Experts call for release of activist Idris Khattak after five years in detention

GENEVA – Condemning the apparent unlawful detention of Pakistani human rights defender Idris Khattak for five years, a group of independent human rights experts* today called on the Government of Pakistan to ensure his immediate and unconditional release.

“We are dismayed by the continued apparent arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr. Khattak, which clearly appears to be a direct retaliation for his human rights work, including documenting and reporting on enforced disappearances and repression against ethnic minorities in the Pakistan north-west region,” the experts said.

“Mr. Khattak has allegedly been subject to a series of egregious abuses and human rights violations in the past five years, since he was taken into military custody in November 2019,” the experts said.

On numerous occasions, UN experts have raised concerns regarding Khattak being subjected to enforced disappearance, prolonged incommunicado detention, torture and ill-treatment, and lack of access to a fair trial and due process rights.

Khattak was convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in December 2021, following a secret trial by a military court.

His right to appeal has been effectively denied due to the apparent lack of cooperation by the military prosecuting authorities, which seem to be intentionally prolonging his detention outside the protection of the civilian justice system, according to the experts.

“Due to harsh prison conditions and being made to work in conditions detrimental for his health, while denied access to adequate medical treatment, Mr. Khattak’s wellbeing and physical integrity has been seriously threatened. He should be immediately released before it is too late,” the experts said.

“Mr. Khattak’s detention and criminalisation, following a grossly unfair military trial, has had a chilling effect on civil society and journalists in Pakistan, and contribute to stigmatising civil society and minority’s rights activism in the country,” they said.

The experts called on Pakistan to ensure an independent, impartial, effective and thorough investigation into the enforced disappearance and other violations Khattak has suffered, identify those responsible and bring them to justice, especially those at command level.

“Mr. Khattak and his family should be provided with adequate reparation for the harm suffered,” the experts said.

Khattak’s case illustrates the heightened repression against fundamental freedoms in the country and is emblematic of how the military justice system is being instrumentalised to repress critical voices and rights activists, while denying justice to victims and granting impunity for human rights violations.

“Pakistan must stop using security laws to criminalise legitimate civil society work and stop prosecuting peaceful activists and other civilians through military courts which fail to ensure human rights protection and are inherently unfair,” the experts said.

They urged Pakistan to comply with the recent decision by the Pakistan Supreme Court, declaring such trials unconstitutional.

The experts are in contact with Pakistan authorities regarding Khattak’s case.