Pakistan military court convicts 60 over pro-Khan unrest

A military court in Pakistan on Thursday sentenced 60 civilian men to jail for multiple years for taking part in pro-Imran Khan unrest last year, the armed forces said.

Former Prime Minister Khan was ousted from office in 2022 and was arrested in May last year on corruption charges, which sparked unprecedented public anger toward the nation's powerful military.

The men, who join 25 other men who were sentenced on Saturday, received terms of between two and 10 years of "rigorous imprisonment."

Khan, an ex-cricketer turned politician has been in jail for more than a year and faces several other legal cases that he and his supporters say are trumped up.

Khan's nephew jailed for a decade

One of those to receive a 10-year sentence was a nephew of Khan, his Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said.

He was found guilty of attacking a corps commander's house in Lahore.

The military did not specify most of the men's convictions, only linking them to involvement in attacks on military facilities on May 9, 2023.

"The Nation, Government, and the Armed Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the inviolable writ of the state is maintained," a military statement said.

Security forces rounded up hundreds of Khan's supporters after they attacked military installations and government buildings following his arrest. Pro-Khan protests have continued regularly since then.

The army said last month it would try the accused in private military tribunals, a largely opaque process that has been widely criticized internationally.

US, EU, UK criticize use of military tribunals

The United States said after the first convictions that it is "deeply concerned" about the sentences, while the United Kingdom's Foreign Office noted that trying civilians in military courts "lacks transparency, independent scrutiny and undermines the right to a fair trial."

The European Union also criticized the sentences, saying they are "inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."

Meanwhile, Khan himself condemned the sentences, according to a statement published on his X profile on Wednesday. The statement was quoting the former prime minister's conversation with lawyers while in jail.

"I reject the unconstitutional decisions of the military courts. These decisions are tarnishing Pakistan’s international reputation, and such inhumane actions could subject the country to economic sanctions," the statement read.

The military and government have denied any unfair treatment of Khan or his supporters.

The government has insisted that the men's sentences do not infringe upon the right to a fair trial, as individuals are granted access to a lawyer, family, and still have the opportunity to appeal twice.

mm/rmt (AFP, dpa, Reuters)