Web pages about "Pakistan"

Different voices

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:52:17 +0100

When Amnesty International presented Report 2008 to the media at The Foreign Press Association in London on 27 May, several people involved in human rights campaigning around the world were invited as special guests. We caught up with three of them.

The first female judge to work at the High Court in Pakistan, Majida Razvi, is now retired. She is currently a women's rights defender and one of seven trustees of the Panah Shelter Home for women in Karachi.

Panah seeks to provide a peaceful haven and temporary refuge for women who are victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse, or under threat of honour killings.

Majida Razvi says she's happy to support the launch of Amnesty International's Report 2008 because "we established the shelter homes in 2001 and the seed money was given by Amnesty International to start with. Also other organizations connected to Amnesty International have been helping us in Karachi. So I think Amnesty International has been a great help and I hope it will be in the future."

Since starting Panah, Majida Razvi says the greatest change she has noticed is the overall awareness of the issues surrounding violence against women. "We are not only providing shelter for these women but we are also trying to create awareness amongst these women by holding workshops and the like."

"There's a greater awareness amongst the public now too. We've also been successful in changing the attitude of the police and the judiciary, trying to get them to be more sympathetic and polite to women who are victims. We need a revolution in the mind of the public and in the minds of men and also in the minds of the women who are governed by their husbands, and by the mullahs of the area."

A young Brighton-based Zimbabwean, Alois Mbawara, has been living in exile in the UK since 2002. He is one of the founding members of Free-Zim Youth, an organization that tries to influence institutions and organisations to take a tougher stance on Harare.

"We are young Zimbabweans in exile who fled the repression and political violence in Zimbabwe," says Mbawara. "As citizens of Zimbabwe we need to be exposing the gross human rights violations being perpetuated by the Mugabe regime. So that's how we came up with the idea for this civic organization to lobby the African Union, to get it to take a stance on what is happening in Zimbabwe.

Mbawara explains why he agreed to join Amnesty’s launch event "It's good exposure. In particular it gives us a multilateral venue to express what is happening in Zimbabwe. It is an historical opportunity to express our views on the political nature of Zimbabwe."

He adds that Amnesty’s work has been helpful in "documenting the day-to-day lives of the ordinary person in Zimbabwe. I have to stress that, due to the lack of free press and media, even people who work for human rights organizations don't have access to information about the political violence in Zimbabwe and are unable to publicize it. So, Amnesty International plays a very pivotal role."

Since starting Free-Zim Youth, Mbawara says their advocacy work, lobbying and demonstrations have had an effect. "Some may call it undiplomatic but we had to confront South African leaders when they came over to the UK and say to them 'now look here, you need to be in a position to do something'" he says, recalling the group's protest during South African Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dhlamini Zuma's 2006 lecture at the London School of Economics.

"We have been having a positive response from that. The South African government has since released a critical statement that they will take a tough stance on what is happening in Zimbabwe."

Released from Guantánamo on 24 August 2006, German-born Turkish national Murat Kurnaz had been held for four years and eight months without charge or trial, despite little evidence to link him to "terrorist" activities. Both US and German intelligence services secretly acknowledged this, yet it took years to secure his release.

Kurnaz has alleged that he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment while in US custody. His book, Five Years of My Life: An Innocent Man in Guantánamo, was launched at an Amnesty International event in Belfast on May 8. John Le Carre called it "The most compassionate, truthful and dignified account of the disgrace of Guantanamo that you are ever likely to read." Patti Smith wrote a song about Kurnaz called "Without Chains" in 2006. She also wrote the foreword to his book.

Kurnaz says he agreed to attend the launch of the Amnesty International Report 2008 because "I like to use all the chances I have to talk, not for me, because I am already a free man, but I'm still trying to help the ones still held in torture camps and prisons and I'm campaigning against those people supporting torture and building torture camps."

Speaking about Amnesty International, Kurnaz says "Amnesty International is trying to show the people what is going on. It's up to the people, when they know the truth, then they can try to make things change."

While positive, Kurnaz concedes that change won't happen overnight. "Because things that have happened in the past have come to light, maybe they won't happen again in the future. I feel like even if it's very slow, things are going to get changed. A few days ago I was the first former Guantánamo detainee to testify before the American Congress. It was the first time they had talked about Guantánamo. I hope this will mean big changes for the future."

Pakistan must restore judges deposed under emergency law

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:35:38 +0100

The Pakistan government must reinstate around 60 judges of the higher courts removed by President Pervez Musharraf under emergency law ahead of a 30 April deadline set by the ruling coalition, Amnesty International has said.

"The restoration of the judges is a necessary step toward ensuring an independent judiciary," said Amnesty International. "Judges are in a unique position to challenge human rights policies, overturn abusive laws and protect individuals from violations."

"Without an effective, independent judiciary, the human rights situation will remain bleak in Pakistan."

"Unless all deposed judges are reinstated, future presidents and military leaders may feel justified in removing judges whenever they are unhappy with courts’ decisions."

Amnesty International has urged the Pakistan government and national parliament to formulate urgently a clear mechanism for appointing higher court judges, with a view to restoring an independent judiciary in line with UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary. The mechanism should ensure that judges are free from conflicts of interest, intimidation or undue influence and have security of tenure. They must not be viewed as expendable tools by those in power.

On 3 November 2007, President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule in his capacity as Army Chief and removed around 60 judges from the Supreme Court and provincial High Courts. The Supreme Court was about to decide his eligibility for another term as President while also being Chief of Army staff. Among other things, the Court had vigorously pursed the cases of hundreds of "disappeared", whose cases have been sidelined by President Musharraf’s hand-picked replacement judges.

Pakistan: Restore judges deposed under emergency law

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:15:10 +0100

Ahead of a 30 April deadline set by the ruling coalition, Amnesty International calls on the Pakistan government to reinstate around 60 judges of the higher courts removed by President Pervez Musharraf under emergency law, in defiance of the country’s constitution.

“The restoration of the judges is a necessary step toward ensuring an independent judiciary,” said Amnesty International. “Judges are in a unique position to challenge human rights policies, overturn abusive laws and protect individuals from violations.”

“Without an effective, independent judiciary, the human rights situation will remain bleak in Pakistan.”

“Unless all deposed judges are reinstated, future presidents and military leaders may feel justified in removing judges whenever they are unhappy with courts’ decisions.”

Amnesty International urges the Pakistan government and national parliament to formulate urgently a clear mechanism for appointing higher court judges, with a view to restoring an independent judiciary in line with UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary. The mechanism should ensure that judges are free from conflicts of interest, intimidation or undue influence and have security of tenure. They must not be viewed as expendable tools by those in power.

Background
On 3 November 2007 President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule in his capacity as Army Chief and removed around 60 judges from the Supreme Court and provincial High Courts. The Supreme Court was about to decide his eligibility for another term as President while also being Chief of Army staff. Among other things, the Court had vigorously pursed the cases of hundreds of “disappeared”, whose cases have been sidelined by President Musharraf’s hand-picked replacement judges.

For more information, please see the report: Pakistan Repairing the damage: Ensuring robust human rights safeguards (AI Index ASA 33/001/2008)

Pakistan: New government sends a positive signal to the world by ratifying UN human rights convention

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:55:03 +0100

Amnesty International welcomes Pakistan’s ratification of a key human rights treaty and signing of two others.

“Becoming a state party to UN human rights conventions is a key step to ensuring human rights are respected, protected and realized for all in Pakistan in line with international standards,” said Amnesty International.

The organization calls on the Pakistani authorities to grasp this opportunity and address the pressing human rights problems in the country.

When presenting its candidature for the elections of the Human Rights Council in April 2006, Pakistan committed itself to early ratification of core human rights treaties.

On 17 April 2008 Pakistan moved to uphold this pledge, ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and signing both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT).

Amnesty International has repeatedly, over many years, urged Pakistan to ratify these and other UN human rights treaties.

Amnesty International now calls upon the Government of Pakistan:

To promptly ratify the ICCPR and the UNCAT and enact implementing legislation to ensure that the three treaties become part of Pakistan’s domestic law;
To ratify all other human rights treaties and their optional protocols, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court;
To give full effect to international human rights treaties in policy and practice;
Release, or else disclose the fate and whereabouts of all victims of enforced disappearance;
End all secret, incommunicado and administrative detentions;
End all torture and other ill-treatment and repeal all laws which carry cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments;
Declare a moratorium on all death sentences and commute the death sentences of the over 7000 persons currently on death row.

Pakistan ratifies key UN human rights treaty

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:24:14 +0100

Pakistan has ratified a key UN human rights treaty and signed two others.

“Becoming a state party to UN human rights conventions is a key step to ensuring human rights are respected, protected and realized for all in Pakistan in line with international standards,” said Amnesty International.

The organization has called on the Pakistani authorities to grasp this opportunity and address the pressing human rights problems in the country.

When presenting its candidature for the elections of the Human Rights Council in April 2006, Pakistan committed itself to early ratification of core human rights treaties.

On 17 April 2008, Pakistan moved to uphold this pledge, ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and signing both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT).

Amnesty International has repeatedly, over many years, urged Pakistan to ratify these and other UN human rights treaties.

Amnesty International has called upon the Government of Pakistan to promptly ratify the ICCPR and the UNCAT and enact implementing legislation to ensure that the three treaties become part of Pakistan’s domestic law. It should also ratify all other human rights treaties and their optional protocols, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and give full effect to international human rights treaties in policy and practice.

Amnesty International has also urged the new Pakistan authorities to release, or else disclose, the fate and whereabouts of all victims of enforced disappearance; to end all secret, incommunicado and administrative detentions; to end all torture and other ill-treatment and repeal all laws which carry cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments; and to declare a moratorium on all death sentences and commute the death sentences of the over 7000 people currently on death row.

Secrecy surrounds death penalty

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:08:25 +0100

At least 1,200 people were executed in 2007 and many more were killed by the state, in secret, in countries including China, Mongolia and Viet Nam.

The figures come from Amnesty International's yearly statistics, Death Sentences and Executions in 2007, issued on Tuesday, which say that at least 1,252 people were executed in 24 countries and at least 3,347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries. Up to 27,500 people are estimated to be on death row across the world.

The figures also show an increase in executions in a number of countries. Iran executed at least 317 people, Saudi Arabia 143 and Pakistan 135 – in comparison to 177, 39 and 82 executions respectively in 2006.

Eighty-eight per cent of all known executions took place in five countries: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the USA. Saudi Arabia had the highest number of executions per capita, followed by Iran and Libya. Amnesty International has been able to confirm at least 470 executions by China – the highest overall figure. However, the organization has said that the true figure for China is undoubtedly much higher.

China, which the report refers to as the world's top executioner, classifies the death penalty as a state secret. As the world and Olympic guests are left guessing, only the Chinese authorities know exactly how many people have been killed with state authorization.

"The secretive use of the death penalty must stop: the veil of secrecy surrounding the death penalty must be lifted. Many governments claim that executions take place with public support. People therefore have a right to know what is being done in their name," said Amnesty International.

During 2007, many countries continued to execute for crimes not commonly considered criminal, or after unfair procedures. Among them:

Ja'Far Kiani, father of two, was stoned to death for adultery in Iran in July.
A 75 year-old North Korean factory manager was shot by firing squad in October for failing to declare his family background, investing his own money in the factory, appointing his children as its managers and making international phone calls.
Mustafa Ibrahim, an Egyptian national, was beheaded in Saudi Arabia in November for the practice of sorcery.
Michael Richard was executed in Texas, USA, on 25 September after a state courthouse refused to stay open an extra 15 minutes to allow the filing of an appeal based on the constitutionality of lethal injections. Richard's attorneys had been unable to file the appeal on time because of computer problems; problems they had already brought to the court's attention. The US Supreme Court then refused to stop the execution. Earlier in the day, however, it had agreed in a Kentucky case to review the lethal injection issue, a decision that led to a de facto moratorium on all other lethal injection executions around the country. The Supreme Court's ruling is expected later this year.

Three countries – Iran, Saudia Arabia and Yemen – carried out executions for crimes committed by people younger than 18 years of age, against international law.

However, 2007 was also the year where there was good news about the death penalty. The United Nations General Assembly voted – by 104 to 54, with 29 abstentions – to end the use of the death penalty.

"The UN General Assembly took the historic decision to call on all countries around the world to stop executing people. That the resolution was adopted in December with such a clear majority shows the global abolition of the death penalty is possible," said Amnesty International.

"The taking of life by the state is one of the most drastic acts a government can undertake. We are urging all governments to follow the commitments made at the UN and abolish the death penalty once and for all."

Breakthrough UN resolution on global moratorium on executions (News, 15 November 2007)
Amnesty International's Death Penalty page

Pakistan: New parliament must restore the constitution and human rights protections

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:09:28 +0000

As Pakistan prepares to swear in a new parliament, Amnesty International calls on the country’s new leaders to repair the fallout from the state of emergency imposed in November 2007. In its latest document, Pakistan: Repairing the damage: ensuring robust human rights safeguards, Amnesty International examines the damage done to constitutional safeguards and the key role played by an independent judiciary in the protection of human rights.

“Steps taken by Pervez Musharraf, both as Chief of Army Staff and as President, breached both national and international law. In passing a Provisional Constitution Order, Musharraf suspended fundamental rights including the right to life and freedom from discrimination, put his actions beyond judicial review and illegally replaced judges critical of the executive – including on human rights – with compliant ones. They obliged him by declaring his actions lawful,” said Tim Parritt, Amnesty International’s Deputy Programme Director for Asia.

Hundreds of victims of enforced disappearance, whose petitions the now-dismissed Supreme Court judges had pursued with vigour, saw their hopes of redress dashed. At the same time, scores of lawyers and civil society activists charged with criminal offences during the emergency period continue to face the prospect of unfair trials by court martial.

“Unless the new parliament decides to undo these measures, the outlook for human rights protection in Pakistan remains bleak. Parliament must take concrete action, ensuring that human rights, the constitution and the judiciary are never again viewed as expendable tools to be tolerated by those in power only to the extent that they are useful,” said Tim Parritt. “Piecemeal amendments will not repair the long-term damage caused during the state of emergency – a sea change is needed in Pakistan’s political culture.”

Pakistan: Repairing the damage: ensuring robust human rights safeguards
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA33/001/2008/en
(AI Index: ASA 33/01/2008)

Pakistan: New Parliament must act

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:20:54 +0000

Pakistan’s new Parliament must take urgent steps to restore an independent judiciary, ensure the release of illegally detained lawyers and judges, and restore the constitution to its pre-emergency state, Amnesty International said today.

“The Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz who have secured at least half the seats in Parliament have an historic opportunity to ensure a full restoration of respect for human rights in Pakistan - not least by upholding provisions guaranteeing human rights and the rule of law at all times,” said Tim Parritt, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific programme.

“The new Parliament must show that it will listen to its people who have given it a powerful mandate for change. By shouldering this responsibility and exercising political will they can bring an end to the cycle of violence and abuses that have affected Pakistan for decades and ensure that Pakistan emerges as a state that extends protections to all its civilians,” he said.

“As a priority, Parliament must commit itself to reversing the changes introduced in the Constitution during the emergency period, ensuring that the constitutional protection of human rights may not be suspended by military or other unilateral executive interventions in future,” he said.

Amnesty International believes that the new Parliament and future government must:

• Reinstate the judges of the superior judiciary who were punitively and unconstitutionally dismissed in November 2007
• Uphold the independence of the judiciary at all times
• Ratify and implement international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention Against Torture and Convention against Enforced Disappearances

For more information go to:

12-point plan

Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org
International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK
www.amnesty.org

Pakistan: Ratify human rights treaties

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:45:37 +0000

As widespread human rights violations and harassment of opposition candidates intensifies before Pakistan’s general election on 18 February, Amnesty International calls on all political parties participating in the general elections to commit to ratifying and implementing key international treaties to bring an end to decades of endemic violence and disregard for human rights.

“The run up to the elections have seen a dramatic increase in violence with attacks on election meetings of political parties and candidates being shot at. The opposition parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which have strongly condemned President Musharraf’s abuse of power, now have an opportunity to play a role in protecting human rights in law and practice. Amnesty International calls on all parties competing in the general elections to firmly commit themselves to Amnesty International’s 12-point plan for human rights in Pakistan,” said Catherine Baber, Director of Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific programme.

“Human rights are not a one-way street: while political parties ask for protection of their human rights, Amnesty International urges them to extend that same protection to others should they win a place in parliament. Ratification and implementation of human rights treaties is key to maintaining rule of law and good governance – and critical in preventing the misuse of the constitution, the subversion of the independence of the judiciary and the locking up of lawyers and human rights defenders,” she said.

“Successive governments in Pakistan’s history have been responsible for serious human rights violations. The political parties in Pakistan now have an opportunity to bring this cycle of abuse to an end,” said Baber.

Amnesty International urges all political parties contesting the elections in Pakistan to make a clear and unequivocal commitment to ratify the following international human rights treaties should they win seats:

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
United Nations Convention Against Torture

The Pakistan authorities and the opposition parties should also ensure that the following treaties that the country has already ratified are fully implemented:

UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Convention on the Rights of the Child

“These treaties should be ratified without further delay to comprehensively protect all human rights and to give substance to commitments made when Pakistan was elected to the Human Rights Council,” said Baber.

12-point plan for human rights.

Why is Amnesty International in Davos?

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:03:45 +0000

An Amnesty International delegation, led by Secretary General Irene Khan, arrived in Davos on for the World Economic Forum 2008, this year entitled The Power of Collaborative Innovation.

Among the sessions Irene Khan will be attending are: The Role of Women in the Business Environment of the 21st Century, Political Islam and Democracy and Tackling Global Issues through Corporate Global Citizenship.

Judit Arenas, advisor to the Secretary General gives an insight into the real conversations happening in Davos, which occur outside the meetings, in coffee shops and corridors:

"The World Economic Forum in Davos is by now well underway and the key question Amnesty International keeps getting is 'why are you here?'

"The answer is simple: we firmly believe in talking to those that can take steps to improve human rights. And in today's world this means not just governments, but also companies.

"But, while we may be 'inside' Davos, let's also be clear that this in no way means we compromise on our principles to speak truth to power and to seek change.

"So far, the discussions and input has been varied – of course, there's a lot of interest in Pakistan (including some very interesting 'advice' from President Musharraf to Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed), the Middle East and the global economy.

"But, sadly, the World Economic Forum is far from being a multi-stakeholder initiative where all the stakeholders are equal and many of the global issues are still sorely lacking in representation on the formal agenda."

On the side: the USA, UK and France discuss Myanmar yet arrests continue
"Everyone knows that it's the side meetings that count in Davos, and government leaders are not exempt.

"The US Secretary of State and the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom and France issued a statement on democracy and human rights in Burma (now known as Myanmar).

"One can only welcome such a statement by three permanent members of the UN Security Council, in particular the statement's categorical assertion – sadly, all too true – that '[s]everal months on, however, we find the regime has met none' of the demands of the UN Security Council.

"One such demand is the early release of all political prisoners. Amnesty International just today made public research showing that at least 96 new arrests related to the demonstrations of last autumn have taken place in Myanmar since 1 November 2007. At least 15 such prisoners of conscience have been sentenced to prison during the same three-month period, and over 80 persons remain unaccounted for, likely the victims of enforced disappearance.

"These facts flatly contradict Myanmar's claims that it would cooperate fully with the UN and would stop its politically-motivated arrests and trials.

"While we welcome and support the call made for the early release of all political prisoners, we still think it's not enough: nothing short of the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience, at least 700 of whom are in prison on account of last autumn's crackdown on peaceful political dissent is enough.

"Amnesty International also welcomes and strongly echoes the statement's support for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, Prof. Pinheiro, who has requested an opportunity to conduct a full-fledged fact-finding mission in Myanmar. This mission would include not only last autumn's crackdown, but also the crimes against humanity and other human rights abuses perpetrated against ethnic minorities. We can only hope that the international community will fully support Prof. Pinheiro's efforts.

"The joint statement claims that '[w]e cannot afford to forget' the people of Myanmar, revealing yet again that the situation in Myanmar is indeed a threat to international stability and security, especially pertaining to other countries in the region.

"And these words are very true: we cannot forget and we have not done so; the longstanding and widespread suppression of human rights in Myanmar affects us all."