The global legal team for former prime minister Imran Khan has submitted an appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, highlighting serious human rights abuses during his current detention.
The submission, presented by Perseus Strategies for Khan’s attorneys, detailed what they refer to as a “systematic pattern of mistreatment, encompassing extended solitary confinement, lack of medical assistance, tainted food, and limited access to legal representation and family visits.”
Khan’s legal representatives contend that these circumstances violate Pakistan’s commitments under the Convention against Torture (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
In a statement within the filing, Sulaiman Khan, son of Imran Khan, criticized the way his father is being treated and remarked: “Our father is subjected to conditions that no person should have to suffer.” These actions violate his rights and constitute torture.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, serving the UN Human Rights Council, is empowered to take action when reliable claims of torture arise, which includes carrying out fact-finding missions and delivering reports to the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.
Khan’s legal representatives have called on the Special Rapporteur to look into his situation and urge Pakistani officials to ensure his physical and mental health.
Zulfi Bukhari, advisor to Imran Khan regarding international matters, emphasized that the filing highlights Khan’s strength: “He is facing illegal detention and brutal treatment, yet he continues to represent bravery and nonviolent defiance.”
The 71-year-old former cricketer and current politician has been incarcerated since August 2023 after being charged in various cases, including corruption and terrorism, following his removal from power due to the opposition’s no-confidence vote in April 2022.
