ISLAMABAD:
The United States and the United Kingdom questioned on Monday the trial and conviction of civilians in military courts in Pakistan, a day after the European Union (EU) expressed the similar concerns.
Last week, the military courts sentenced 25 civilians to prison terms ranging from two to 10 years for attacking military installations during riots which erupted in May last year.
In a statement, the State Department said that the US was deeply concerned that Pakistani civilians had been sentenced by a military tribunal for their involvement in protests on May 9, 2023.
“These military courts lack judicial independence, transparency, and due process guarantees,” it said. “The US continues to call on Pakistani authorities to respect the right to a fair trial and due process, as enshrined in Pakistan’s Constitution.”
Earlier a statement issued in London by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCO) said that trying civilians in military courts lacked transparency, independent scrutiny and undermines the right to a fair trial.
“We call on the Government of Pakistan to uphold its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right,” read the FCO statement.
The EU on Sunday had expressed concerns over the conviction of 25 civilians, insisting the verdict was inconsistent with Pakistan’s commitments to ensure a “fair and public” trial of every person.
“The European Union notes with concern the sentencing of twenty-five civilians by a military court on 21 December in Pakistan,” read a statement issued by the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels.
“These verdicts are seen as inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),” the statement added.
“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 judgement rendered in a criminal case shall be made public,” the statement further said.
It also pointed out that under the EU’s generalised scheme of preferences plus (GSP+), beneficiary countries, including Pakistan, have voluntarily agreed to implement effectively 27 international core conventions – including the ICCPR – in order to continue benefitting from GSP+ status.
