UN Working Group Calls for Immediate Release of Imran Khan
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has declared that former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been unlawfully imprisoned. The group has urged for Khan’s immediate release and for him to receive compensation as per international law.
The working group stated that Khan’s detention had no legal basis and was likely orchestrated to prevent him from running for office. Since being removed as prime minister in April 2022, Khan has faced over 200 legal cases and has been in jail since August last year, claiming the cases are politically motivated.
Despite having some of his sentences suspended, Khan remains imprisoned due to an illegal marriage conviction. Analysts believe that Pakistan’s military, wielding significant power, is behind the legal actions against Khan.
Khan’s political party, PTI, faced challenges in the recent elections, with candidates being forced to run as independents. The lower house of parliament denounced a US resolution calling for an investigation into election rigging, with Khan’s party claiming their victory was turned into a defeat by the election commission.