In a press briefing in Washington, DC, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reiterated the United States’ stance supporting public protest rights while strongly opposing violent acts, vandalism, looting, and arson.
“We uphold the right to peaceful assembly and free expression, but we unequivocally condemn violent actions, property damage, and criminal behavior,” Miller emphasized.
Responding to inquiries about the May 9 riots, Miller stressed the importance of governments adhering to the rule of law and respecting freedom of speech.
The unrest erupted nationwide on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Islamabad High Court. Subsequent attacks on military and civilian targets led to the incarceration of numerous PTI members and leaders implicated in the violence.
Earlier, The United Nations’ Working Group on Arbitrary Detention termed the prosecution and detention of former prime minister and PTI founding chairman Imran Khan unlawful and politically motivated.
The UN body made this observation after holding a detailed discussion on the Toshakhana corruption reference and the Cipher case against Khan. It says the other cases against Khan seem also have no fair legal grounds.
Imran Khan is in jail for over a year under multiple charges. The court has already suspended his sentences in two Toshakhana cases, also acquitting him in Cipher case. A session court in Islamabad, however, rejected Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi appeal against sentence in Iddat case, the only hurdle in release of Imran Khan. The PTI has termed the UN report a huge development.
The findings of the UN body during 99th session were finalised on June 18.
“The working group (of the UNS) concludes that his (Imran Khan) detention had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office. Thus, from the outset, that prosecution was not grounded in law and was reportedly instrumentalised for a political purpose,” read the report.
It highlighted “lacks a grounding in law, as his actions do not appear to have violated the Official Secrets Act, as was apparently corroborated by the intelligence services, according to the source’s unrebutted submissions”.
“The working group cannot but observe the coincidence in the timing of the four prosecutions, which effectively prevented Mr Khan from contesting the general election originally scheduled for November 2023.”
“The working group urges the government to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr Khan and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights.”
