Council of Australia Law Deans issues media release

MEDIA RELEASE

Council of Australia Law Deans calls upon General Musharraf to restore the rule of law in Pakistan

The peak body of Australian law schools, the Council of Australian Law Deans (CALD), today called upon General Musharraf, President of Pakistan, to restore the sacked Chief Justice of Pakistan to office, to stop rounding up Pakistan’s leading lawyers and academics and detaining them without trial, and generally to restore the rule of law in Pakistan.

In an open letter to General Musharraf, CALD Chair Professor Michael Coper said that restoration of the rule of law in Pakistan was vital if Pakistan was to be taken seriously by the world community as a peace loving, democratic nation.

‘There is nothing more critical to the rule of law’, Professor Coper said, ‘than the independence of the judiciary and freedom from arbitrary detention. We hear reports of lawyers being rounded up and detained, and being maltreated while in detention, simply because they are protesting against General Musharraf’s abandonment of proper legal processes. All societies need proper legal processes and lawyers to administer them. The alternative is dictatorship, chaos, and disregard for human rights.’

Professor Coper added that Australian lawyers and legal educators appreciated the security issues facing Pakistan and the necessity for law and order. He pointed out, however, that when this came at the price of arbitrary detention, brutality of treatment of those in detention, dismissal of independent judges and their replacement with compliant ones, targeting of professional groups like lawyers and academics, and the exercise of power without proper constitutional authority, then the terrorists had already won a substantial victory in their assault on freedom and democracy.

The full text of the open letter of the Council of Australian Law Deans to General Musharraf may be viewed here.

 

University of Bradford launches campaign to free Imran Khan

The University of Bradford has launched a campaign to free its Chancellor Imran Khan from imprisonment in Pakistan.

Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (Movement for Justice) Party and a political rival of President Pervez Musharraf, was arrested and charged under anti-terrorism legislation on the 14th of  November, 2007 after appearing at a rally at a university in Lahore, Pakistan.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Cleary has written to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to urge him to take action in this matter and help bring about a change in the current mindset of the Pakistani government and end the incarceration of political prisoners.

The University will be launching an online petition for people to register their opposition to the incarceration of Imran Khan.

Visit the Univeristy website here for details on how to register your opposition.

Freedom (lack thereof) of expression?

Little is known concerning the content of negotiations between state authorities and the television channel, GEO. Meanwhile, speculation is rife:

The government demanded that programmes by Shahid Masood, Hamid Mir, and Kamran Khan be taken off air. The government also demanded that GEO’s permanent license be converted into a provisional one liable to termination at any time.

AAJ television gave in to certain government demands and is now back on air. Talat Hussain, ARY’s most popular anchor, has been suspended temporarily. The changed policies of channels that have been allowed to resume transmission are evident. DAWN, for instance, does not show live footage of protests and demonstrations any longer.

Pakistanis are also being forced to view the state-run PTV which religously documents Indian atrocities against Muslims in Kashmir!

While the media blackout is perhaps the most extensive to hit Pakistan so far, other channels of communication are flourishing. It is said that mobile phone companies recorded the highest number of smses sent on any one day in Pakistan, on November 3-4. Protests and demonstrations are also being organized through cell phones.

If you wish to protest with the UAE Government, the e mail for the
UAE Embassy in Islamabad is uaeempk@isb.paknet.pk

A martial law-ed Pakistani rants

Let us not delude ourselves. The purpose of the emergency/martial law monstrosity was to remove the Supreme Court bench. Most Pakistanis are happy to believe what triggered the declaration of the emergency was a tapped phone call indicating that the impending court verdict would not be favourable to the General. Having imposed the emergency, gotten rid of the stubborn justices, what purpose can the emergency serve? None. Why rejoice then? 

It’s amazing how one man rules a country like it’s no one else’s business. But it isn’t just one man. We’ve (from ‘our’ part of the world) heard about how the US has historically supported military regimes the world over. I used to read about the banana republics and I found it bizarre. Of course, Zia was not done to us by the US. He just happened. Sure! As did Musharraf. They call it misfortune? Bad people keep happening to us. In retrospect, that reasoning is naive to say the least. This is not to clump all that is America into a monolith labeled the US: let’s restrict ourselves to US policy.

Musharraf was on television today: “Hum nay women empowerment kii hai” (we’ve done women empowerment). How do you do that? In all earnestness. Women empowerment won’t be done by increasing women’s representation in mock assemblies. Women empowerment was a process when I checked last — a long term process involving a change in attitudes ‘etcetera’. Hundreds of women die of domestic violence each year; this figure is so bandied about you’re bored? I’m not surprised.“Hum nay minorities ko empower kar diya. Hum nay in ko joint electorate diya”. The tone is striking for its benevolence (read hubris). I shudder to think what it must feel like being a minority in this country. Yes, this country I’m castigating is mine and there is much love for it. What this vitriol is aimed at is not the country. It is at all those who’re trying so hard to ruin it and make sure it does not work.Please tell me I’m not alone in being offended. Since when did this country become his sole prerogative? ‘Main nay’ (I) is inserted into every sentence. The general thinks we need emergency rule on Sunday and so we do. The general knows best. On Friday he thinks it is needed no longer.  He must be correct. All hail the benevolent father figure eh? 

On another, more distressing note: Yesterday, the beheaded body of a police constable was found in a village near Thall. He had been kidnapped by six masked men a few days ago. A note found on the body read: “People should not join the police, paramilitary and army”. With photographs and videos posted everywhere on the internet, the figure of the baton-wielding policeman has become fairly ubiquitous. One wonders though, where exactly does one place the blame? The constables are performing their duty. They’re instructed to be ruthless. Not following duties can mean losing their source of livelihood. Is it not unfair, then, to be targeting them?

Anonymouse # 1

Video Links to International Protests against the Emergency

A video of the protest in Berlin can be found here

A video of the protest in London can be found here

A video of the protest in Washington can be found  here

A video of the protest in San francisco can be found here

A video of the Hague protest can be found here

A video of the protest in Toronto can be foundhere

Boston Protest Against Martial Law – Nov 10th 2007

Pakistani students from local universities and colleges held a very 
successful protest rally at the Boston Commons. The rally was attended 
by about 200 people. The students had the full support of Boston’s 
Pakistani expatriate community. Boston area Academicians,Lawyers and 
Physicians attended and spoke at the rally.

Students at Harvard, MIT and Bunker Hill Community College were among 
the key organizers of the rally to protest the attack against the 
judiciary, curbs against the media and the violance against lawyers, 
human right activists and students exercising their right of peaceful 
protest.

Students from the Berklee college of music provided the percussion 
drums and synchronized the chants of AZAADI( freedom) in a show of 
solidarity with the Students, Judiciary, Journalists,Human Rights 
activists and Media  in Pakistan.

Emerson college students were in full force with video footage and 
interviewing of the crowd documenting the protest and the right for 
free speech and expression.

Wellesley college girls were in the forefront holding banners and led 
the “march of the chain” in a symbolic message for the people of 
Pakistan who have been arrested and brutalized for speaking out.

Brandies University students were accompanied by their Professor and 
program Director. She spoke in support of the students who were at the 
rally and encouraged them to exercise their rights of free speech and 
thought.

Also in attendance was a group of students from the university of 
Massachusetts and Hamshire college at Amherst.

The chants and slogans on the posters included Azaadi (the Urdu word 
for freedom), free our judiciary, lawyers, students, media and human 
rights activists, in addition to “support the people not the dictator” 
and “help democracy end hypocrisy,” which were mainly aimed at the US 
government for its continued support of General Musharraf.

The event was addressed by students as well as professionals and 
activists in the Boston area.

_________, a student at Bunker Hill Community college, made 
announcements during the protest.

_________, a Pakistani student at Harvard, highlighted the 
importance of an independent judiciary for the people of Pakistan and 
also stressed that the war against terror can not be won unless the 
country has a properly functioning judiciary commanding the respect of 
the masses. He criticised the US policy of supporting dictators in the 
country and said that the US had to decide whether it was with the 
people of Pakistan or with the dictator.

__________, a Pakistani student at the Berklee college of music, 
spoke about how an environment of state oppression was extremely 
detrimental to creativity and made it difficult for artists like 
herself to operate.

_________, a Pakistani student at MIT, discussed the impact of 
the present crisis on the economy and how it was going to make life 
for the majority of Pakistanis living in poverty even tougher.

__________, a Harvard student from Pakistan, linked the struggle of 
the Pakistani people with similar causes in the rest of the world.

Physicians from Tufts University and Massachusetts General Hospital 
addressed the  students and highlighted the fact that most of their generation had 
grown up in Pakistan, knowing only  totalitarian regimes and dictatorship in one 
form or another. They encouraged the youth of Pakistan to revive the 
Student Movements of their country and to work for a change to wards 
democracy.

Dr. Khoso,son of  Justice Khoso shared his family’s ordeal and the 
hardship his father had recently undergone along with the arrest of 
his two brothers.

Friends of South Asia were represented among others, by lawyers like 
Lubna Mahmood and Supreme court Judge Dr. Aslam Khaki, who shared 
personal accounts of the brutalities their colleagues are facing.

Poetry from Faiz, a prominent Pakistani poet, was elloquently sung by 
Mustafa Kamal Ahmed.

Representatives from the  International Action Center and other Human 
Rights Activists also addressed the crowd. Mr. Gabriel Camado spoke 
very eloquently and shared the struggles of his people in South America.

Mary Najimi highlighted the support of the Arab American coalition for 
a US policy change in South Asia and the middle east and promised to 
spread the message of solidarity amongst the local communities.

Hassan Abbas was present and spoke to the media in favour of the 
Boston Students’ initiative
and their message of support for the students in Pakistan.

The event was also attended by local groups like the Alliance for a 
Secular and Democratic South Asia and officially endorsed by the 
Massachusetts chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which is also 
planning to hold a demonstration on Tuesday, Nov 14 at the state house 
in Boston.

This email was circulated amongst the LUMS student body by a LUMS faculty member

Student protests hit the streets of Islamabad

A peaceful protest by a group of students and several others was disrupted by the police in Islamabad. Forty students were taken away in police vans and detained for two hours before being released.

More on this story can be found here.

For an eye-witness account click here.

More on the LUMS protests

   

Mailed to humanrightsblog@gmail.com by R.Q.

Dawn coverage of LUMS protest  here

Mailed to the LUMS Student Body by a faculty member

Times coverage of LUMS protest here 

Mailed to the LUMS Student Body by R.Q

The Observatory requests urgent intervention

The Observatory

for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders 

L’OBSERVATOIRE pour la Protection des Défenseurs des droits de l’Homme

EL OBSERVATORIO para la Protección de los Defensores de Derechos Humanos

URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY 

New information

PAK 001 / 1107 / OBS 136.1

Forced disappearances / Solitary confinement /

Arbitrary detentions / Torture /

House arrest / Arrest warrant /

Releases on bail / Judicial proceedings

Pakistan

November 8, 2007 
 

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Pakistan.  

New information: 

The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) about the release on bail of its staff and council members. Yet, the repression goes on against the civil society, in particular lawyers and judges. 

According to the information received, on November 6, 2007, the 55 members of the HRCP office in Lahore who had been arrested on November 4 (See background information) were released on bail at 7.30 pm by the order of Home Secretary. Yet, they are still facing charges under the Maintenance of the Public Order Ordinance and sections 146, 147 and 148 of the Penal Code. 

In addition, Ms. Asma Jahangir, HRCP Chairperson, human rights lawyer and United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, remains under house arrest under a 90 days preventive detention order (SO (IS-I)3 – 24 / 200), issued by the Home Department of the Government of Punjab on November 3, 2007. Likewise, a 90-day detention order also remains in place against Ms. Hina Jilani, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Human Rights Defenders, currently overseas. The Observatory fears that Ms. Jilani will be arrested when she returns to Pakistan. 

Furthermore, it has been reported that hundreds of lawyers and judges of superior courts are currently under arrest and would have been tortured while in detention, including Mr. Muneer A Malik, former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association and leader of the lawyers’ movement, currently detained at the Attack Fort under the custody of the military intelligence ; Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan, President of the Supreme Court Bar, and currently kept in Adiayala jail in solitary confinement, Mr. Tariq Mahmood, former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, first detained in the Adiala jail and who was reportedly shifted to an unknown place; and Mr. Ali Ahmed Kurd, former Vice Chair of the Pakistan Bar Council, in the custody of military intelligence and being kept at an undisclosed place. 

The Observatory expresses its deepest concern regarding these arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances, as they seem to merely aim at sanctioning the mentioned defenders’ human rights activities and strongly condemns these serious violations of international human rights law. 

The Observatory further recalls that, as member of the Human Rights Council, Pakistan is committed to “uphold the highest standards of promotion and protection of human rights”¹, and therefore urges the Pakistani authorities put an end to any kind of harassment against all human rights defenders in Pakistan.

Background information:  

In a context where the President Musharraf has imposed a state of emergency in Pakistan, suspended the constitution, dismissed the Chief Justice and arrested leading lawyers, Ms. Asma Jahangir was put under house arrest on November 3, 2007, under a 90 days preventive detention order (SO (IS-I)3 – 24 / 200), issued by the Home Department of the Government of Punjab and reportedly to prevent her making “inflammatory speeches”. 

In addition, a house arrest warrant for a period of 90 days has been issued against Ms. Hina Jilani, who is expected to be detained by the police when she returns from overseas.  

On November 4, 2007, the police raided the office of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan situated at Tipu Block, New Garden Town in Lahore and arrested 55 of its members², who were at the time gathering at a joint action committee to discuss the situation after the imposition of the state of emergency. Charged with holding “illegal assembly” and interfering with public officers under the Criminal Procedure Code, they were taken into preventive detention under Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance and remanded to the Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore. Messrs. Syed Igbal Haider and I. A. Rehman, respectively HRCP Secretary General and Executive Director, were also among those arrested and were then placed under house arrest.  

On November 5, 2007, Messrs. Igbal Haider and I. A. Rehman, along with the other HRCP members who had been arrested on the day before, appeared before a judge and were sent to the Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore till the next hearing, on November 6, 2007.  

Actions requested : 

Please write to the authorities of Pakistan urging them to : 

1. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Muneer A Malik, Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan, Mr. Tariq Mahmood, Mr. Ali Ahmed Kurd, Ms. Asma Jahangir, Ms. Hina Jilani, should she return to Pakistan, all HRCP members as well as of lawyers and magistrates currently detained or under house arrest;

1. Take prompt action in order to locate Mr. Tariq Mahmood and Mr. Ali Ahmed Kurd, make public their whereabouts, and ensure their immediate release;

1. Put an end to the house arrest of Ms. Asma Jahangir and release immediately and unconditionally Mr. Muneer A Malik and Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan, as well as all other defenders who are currently detained, since their detention is arbitrary as it merely aims at sanctioning their human rights activities;

1. Cancel the warrant of arrest issued against Ms. Hina Jilani as it seems to merely aim at sanctioning her human rights activities;

1. Conduct an immediate, independent and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned allegations of torture in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and sentence them according to the law;

1. Put an end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against all human rights defenders in Pakistan;

1. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels” and article 6, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: to know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms (…), freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms and to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance (…) of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters”.

1. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Pakistan.

Addresses: 

• General Pervez Musharraf, President, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN, Fax: +92 51 922 4768/ 920 1893 / 1835 / +92 51 9221422; E-mail: via website: http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/WTPresidentMessage.aspx
• Mr. Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Minister for the Interior, Ministry for the Interior, Room 404, 4th Floor, Block R, Federal Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan, Fax: +92 51 9202624, E-mail: minister@interior.gov.pk / secretary@interior.gov
• Mr. Zahid Hamid, Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights, Room 305, S-Block, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan, Fax: +92 51 9202628 / +92 51 9201631, E-Mail: minister@molaw.gov.pk
• Mian Kurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, PAKISTAN, Tel: +92 51 92 10 335, Fax: +92 51 920 7600
• Ghulam Safdar, Joint Secretary for Law, Justice and Human Rights, Islamabad, PAKISTAN, Tel: +92 51 921 1278, Fax: +92 51 920 1631
• Ambassador Masood Khan, Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva, Rue de Moillebeau 56, Case postale 434, 1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland, E-mail: mission.pakistan@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 734 80 85
• Embassy of Pakistan to the EU in Brussels, 57 avenue Delleur, 1170 Watermael-Boitsfort, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 675 83 84 / +32 2 675 8394

***

Geneva-Paris, November 8, 2007 

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply. 

 

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.  

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29 

International Federation for Human Rights 17, Passage de la Main d’Or 75 011 Paris, France

World Organisation Against Torture Case postale 21 – 8 rue du Vieux-Billard 1211 Geneva 8, Switzerland

 This was mailed to us at humanrightsblog@gmail.com by A.B. Many thanks!

HRCP (Karachi) Press Release

The HRCP is deeply concerned about the health and life of its Advocate, Mr. Jawed Iqbal Burqi:
 
 The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan is deeply concerned about the life and health of its Advocate, Mr. Jawed Iqbal Burqi who was arrested on November 4, 2007 from his residence in Nazimabad and kept detained in Nazimabad Police Station for two days and later transferred to Central Jail, Karachi on November 6, 2007. 

Mr. Burqi who was injured in the stampede after the suicidal bomb attacks on Benazir Bhutto’s Caravan in Karachi, requires necessary medicines immediately but neither the family members nor the colleagues of Mr. Burqi are being allowed to see him and/or to provide him with necessary medicines in the jail.

HRCP notes with grave concern that since November 03, 2007, thousands of judges, journalists, lawyers, politicians and activists of civil society have been detained and police have been given wide powers to use force with impunity to suppress public demonstrations. 

HRCP warns that targeting innocent people, further isolating the population from news, suspending community access to justice and repressing legitimate dissent would only create resentment, encourage extremism and exacerbate insecurity.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan strongly reiterates its demand that Mr.Jawed Iqbal Burqi Advocate and all other lawyers, journalists, political and human rights activists arrested all over the country immediately be released unconditionally. 

HRCP also demands that the proclamation of November 3 and all actions taken under it be withdrawn and cancelled forthwith.

Zohra Yusuf

(Vice Chairperson, Sindh) HRCP

(This was emailed to Anonymouse 1 by the HRCP Karachi Office)