Pakistan court sentences 25 protesters amid 'crackdown on dissent'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
21 Dec 2024 12:03

The military's statement does not specify the exact charges but claims that the unrest in May 2023 involved "tragic incidents of politically provoked violence and arson at multiple places."

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party activists take part in a public rally on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, on September 21, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

Pakistan's military courts have convicted and sentenced 25 individuals for their involvement in the "pro-Imran Khan unrest" that occurred last year, the armed forces announced on Saturday. Most of those convicted have been handed prison terms of 10 years.

Imran Khan, the former prime minister, was arrested in May 2023 after being removed from office. His arrest, which was linked to alleged corruption allegations, triggered nationwide protests. These events led to rare civilian prosecutions in military courts.

'An indtidmation act'

Amnesty International described the move as "an intimidation tactic, designed to crack down on dissent."

While military courts are largely secretive, after several months of confidentiality, the military’s public relations wing revealed the identities of the 25 individuals convicted. All those sentenced are men, with 14 receiving a decade-long "rigorous imprisonment," while the remaining 11 will serve shorter prison terms. The military's statement did not specify the exact charges but claimed that the unrest in May 2023 involved "tragic incidents of politically provoked violence and arson at multiple places."

The statement added that these acts of violence "not only shocked the nation but also underscored the necessity of checking this unacceptable attempt of political terrorism."

The big picture

Imran Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, was ousted by a no-confidence vote in parliament. He accused the then-head of the powerful military establishment of orchestrating his downfall with US backing.

Although Khan's initial detention in May 2023 lasted only a few days, he was re-arrested three months later and has been imprisoned ever since. He stresses that the various court cases against him are politically motivated.

In the aftermath of the unrest, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party became the target of a large-scale crackdown, resulting in thousands of arrests of party members, from grassroots supporters to senior officials. Khan, 72, was also barred from participating in the February elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging. Despite this, PTI emerged with more seats than any other party, although a coalition of parties more aligned with the military formed a government and excluded PTI from power.

In recent weeks, new protests erupted in Islamabad as thousands of PTI supporters attempted to enter a public square near parliament before ultimately retreating.