EU Raises Alarm Over Civilian Convictions in Pakistan’s Military Court
The European Union on Sunday voiced strong concern over the decision of a military court in Pakistan to sentence 25 civilians to prison on December 21. The EU contends that the verdicts violate international standards for fair trials and could threaten Pakistan’s trade benefits under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).
Anouar El Anouni, spokesperson for EU foreign affairs and security policy, said in a press release that “these verdicts are seen as inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)” which guarantees “a fair and public trial in a court that is independent, impartial and competent, and has the right to adequate and effective legal representation.” El Anouni’s statement also said that 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.”
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Pakistan’s army announced on Saturday that 25 supporters of Imran Khan, the former prime minister and chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were convicted by a Field General Court Martial (FGC). According to an official statement from the Pakistan Armed Forces Media Wing, the FGC “convicted 25 individuals in the first phase after thoroughly examining the evidence and completing all legal proceedings,” adding that “the convicted suspects were provided with all the legal rights to fulfill the legal requirements.”
Omer Ayub Khan, a prominent PTI leader, denounced the verdict. He argued that “civilians cannot be prosecuted in military courts,” saying the “practice of military courts trying and sentencing civilians is unheard of in any truly civilized nation across the globe.”
