ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took up the issue of the “imported government’s” constant violations of international conventions and laws by illegally detaining and custodial torturing of PTI Senator Azam Swati before the world human rights bodies, demanding his early release and bringing culprits to book.
Dr Shireen M Mazari, former minister for human rights and Senior Vice President PTI wrote letters to the Human Rights Committee, Geneva and the Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 34/19) on Friday on the arrest and subsequent torture on Senator Azam Swati.
She said that Pakistan has been engulfed in a political crisis in the aftermath of a regime change scheme to remove the government of PM Imran Khan and replace it with a combined opposition government with a bloated cabinet comprising primarily of members out on bail.
Shireen Mazari wrote that the government, backed by the establishment, has responded with repressive measures, especially in the wake of PTI sweep of a series of by-elections held on 17 July in the province of Punjab despite a concerted effort of rigging by the government, the Election Commission of Pakistan and the State.
“I had written to you in August 2022 drawing your attention to the abduction, subsequent arrest and custodial torture on Dr Shahbaz Gill but unfortunately there seemed to have been little response, which has erroneously signaled to the government it can continue with impunity the use of custodial torture including against the leadership of the PTI,” she added.
Therefore, she said: “Once more I would like to draw the attention of the United Nations Special Procedures mechanisms to the human rights violations that were committed on the person Senator Swati.”
She wrote that according to his own statement, given before the media while being presented to the magistrate court, he was stripped and tortured for his crime to post one tweet (attached below) crticising the army chief by name. She said that unfortunately, the Senate Chairman under pressure from the State refused to issue his Production Orders to attend the Senate Session the next day so the Senator remains in FIA custody where it is fear he will be subjected to more torture.
She said that apart from the brazen abuse of fundamental human rights contained not only in Pakistan’s Constitution but also in Pakistan’s international commitments under the ICCPR and CAT, abducting, arresting and torturing a person because of his criticism against someone who is a public office holder.
She requested that notice should be taken of this violation of freedom of expression under Article 19 General Comment 34 by the Government of Pakistan and address it in order to stop the arrest and custodial torture of a citizen simply because he exercised his right to freedom of expression.
“We demand immediate release of Swati as Pakistan is also a State Party to the ICCPR and Under HRC’s General Comment 34 on Article 19 the importance of freedom of expression,” she said.
Moreover, she said that they demanded an end to the use of torture as per Pakistan’s commitment made under the Convention Against Torture and observance of due process of law, and criminalization of torture, in line with Pakistan’s international and domestic human rights commitments.
She demanded that the Government of Pakistan institute an independent and impartial inquiry commission to ascertain who should be held responsible for the torture perpetrated on Senator Swati and hold the guilty accountable.
