UK expresses concerns over civilians in Pakistani military courts

LONDON: The British government has expressed its position on the sentences handed down to 25 civilians by military courts in Pakistan.

In a statement, the UK Foreign Office stressed respect for Pakistan’s sovereignty but highlighted concerns about transparency and independent oversight of trials conducted by military courts.

The statement said such actions undermine the right of civilians to a fair trial. It urged Pakistan to “fulfill its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)”.

Earlier, the European Union criticised the military court verdicts, calling them unfair and inconsistent with the ICCPR, an international treaty to which Pakistan is bound. The EU stressed that Article 14 of the ICCPR guarantees the right to a fair and public trial by impartial and competent courts with public decisions.

Furthermore, the EU reminded Pakistan of its obligations under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which provides trade benefits in exchange for compliance with 27 international conventions, including the ICCPR.

On December 20, Pakistani military courts sentenced 25 individuals involved in the May 9 events to prison terms ranging from 2 to 10 years. The individuals were accused of acts against state institutions, which resulted in their trial and conviction in military courts.