An open letter to the Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan regarding concerns about torture, media clampdown and intimidation
Dear Chief Justice Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial,
We are extremely concerned about the disturbing trend of suppression of media freedom in Pakistan and the use of illegal methods such as torture to subdue political opponents.
The most pressing case is the recent violent arrest of Dr. Shahbaz Gill (Chief of Staff to Chairman PTI Imran Khan and Assistant Professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) who was charged with sedition 1 for voicing concerns on ARY TV about government officers taking illegal actions.2 Subsequently, there are disturbing reports of Dr. Gill being stripped 3 and tortured 4 5 and being placed in the death cell.6 The wife of his driver was also picked up and imprisoned with her 10-month-old suckling baby. 7 8
We are also witnessing severe suppression of media freedom as exemplified by the ban on the ARY TV channel which is one of Pakistan's biggest and oldest private TV channels.9 10 A blanket ban on one of the most well-established TV channels for airing criticism of the government gives credence to the concerns that the regime is operating in a fascist manner and displaying a flagrant disregard for human rights and freedom of speech. The ban has been accompanied by harassment and intimidation of media workers, and late-night raids against well-respected media executives.11 Explicit and implicit intimidation and threats have forced prominent TV anchors and journalists such as Arshad Sharif and Sabir Shakir to flee the country.12 13
The actions above are fascist in nature and against the basic tenets of any functioning democracy. They are blatant acts of harassment, intimidation, and censorship against Pakistan’s media. The International Federation of Journalists (which is the world's largest organisation of journalists) as well as intellectuals such as Noam Chomsky have raised urgent concerns on these matters. 14 15 16 We firmly reiterate their demand. Intimidatory arrests and torture violate several human rights conventions including the Convention Against Torture (CAT).
We support a return to a truly democratic dispensation and urge the relevant authorities to adhere to and ensure fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and safeguard from torture.
Signatories
- Naeem Ahmad Poet, writer, and social worker
- Samina Ahmad Doctor, Founder Salman and Samina Global Wellness Initiative
- Waqas Ahmed Journalist
- Salman Ahmed UN Goodwill Ambassador / Focal person on Arts & Culture
- Shakil Akhtar Professor Clayton State University, USA
- Habib Akram Journalist and Author
- Hassan Aslam Shad International Lawyer
- Rabia Aziz Academic, Canada
- Haris Aziz Scientia Associate Professor, UNSW
- Sarwar Bari Author and activist
- Farhan Chak Associate Professor of Political Science
- Muhammad Aamir Cheema Associate Professor at Monash University
- Noam Chomsky Emeritus Professor at MIT, Philosopher, Author
- Khurram Chughtai Strategic Counsel
- Tatyana Deryugina Associate Professor, University of Illinois
- Aravinda Garimella Assistant Professor, University of Illinois
- Naureen Farooq Khan Ex Member National Assembly
- Gabriele Gratton Professor of Politics and Economics, UNSW
- Catherine Greenhill Professor
- Imtiaz Gul Journalist and author
- Wencui Han Assistant Professor University of Illinois
- Isa Hafali Professor of Economics, University Technology Sydney
- Raoof Hasan Chief Executive at Regional Peace Institute, Columnist
- Kinza Hashmi Actor
- Javed Hassan Columnist
- Zafar Hilaly Former Diplomat, Columnist, and Analyst
- Hadi Hosseini Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University, USA
- Ch. Ghulam Hussain Journalist, Editor
- Azhar Imran Lawyer and Professor, Punjab University, Lahore.
- Kamal Jabbar Barrister
- Javed Jabbar Former Senator, Federal Minister, author
- Dr. Khurram Kayani Educationist and philanthropist
- Aila Khan Dr. / Senior Lecturer Western Sydney University
- Ejaz Khan President Pakistan Australia Association
- Seema Khan Academic, Deakin University
- Shandana Gulzar Khan Parliamentarian
- Andrew Korybko Moscow-based American political analyst
- Jérôme Lang Researcher at CNRS, France
- Barton E. Lee Academic at Magdalen College, Oxford, UK
- Mariam Malik Social Activist
- Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari Former Minister of Human Rights
- Najma Minhas Managing Editor and CEO of Global Village Space Publications
- Jameson Neff Mathematics Instructor at Lake Land College, USA
- Dr. Rita Pal Human Rights Activist, Won at the UNHRC for Kashmir 2018
- Samina Peerzada Actor, Director, Producer
- Moeed Pirzada Editor Global Village Space Publications
- Yvonne Ridley Journalist, author, and politician
- Muhammad Usman Sami Advocate High Courts
- Shaheen Sehbai Journalist, former Group Editor
- Salman Shabbir Founder OpVoters
- Jarrar Shah Entrepreneur
- Saleeha Shah Artist & Businesswoman
- Faisal Sherjan Media, Entrepreneur
- Khadija Siddiqi Barrister and activist
- Soufia Siddiqi Assistant Professor
- Muhammad Azhar Siddique Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, Human Rights Activist
- Mehr Tarar Author, Columnist, Analyst
- Toby Walsh Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor, UNSW
- Chris Williamson Former UK Member of Parliament
- Leyla Zuberi Actor