Pakistan: A UN expert demands an end to Imran Khan’s cruel jail circumstances and solitary confinement

Pakistan: UN experts have warned that claims of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cruel and dehumanizing confinement circumstances may constitute to torture and other cruel or humiliating treatment, and they have urged Pakistan’s government to take prompt and decisive action.

Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, conveyed the message on Friday and called on the Pakistani government to act swiftly and decisively.

“I call on Pakistani authorities to ensure that Khan’s conditions of detention fully comply with international norms and standards,” Edwards said.

“Since his transfer to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on 26 September 2023, Imran Khan has reportedly been held for excessive periods in solitary confinement, confined for 23 hours a day in his cell, and with highly restricted access to the outside world,” she said. “His cell is reportedly under constant camera surveillance.”

According to the statement, the Special Rapporteur emphasized that lengthy or indefinite solitary confinement is forbidden by international human rights legislation and that it is considered psychological torture when it lasts more than fifteen days.

“Khan should be released from solitary imprisonment right now. In addition to being illegal, prolonged seclusion may have detrimental effects on his physical and emotional well-being,” she said.

According to the official statement, Khan is not allowed to participate in group prayers, engage in outside activities, or communicate with other inmates. Attorney visits, family visits, and other court-approved visits are often stopped or terminated early.

“Imran Khan is detained in a tiny cell with no ventilation and no natural light. According to reports, both winter and summer temperatures may become very high, and poor air circulation causes unpleasant odors and bug infestations. He has allegedly experienced nausea, vomiting, and substantial weight loss as a consequence,” the statement said.

“Anyone deprived of liberty must be treated with humanity and dignity,” stated the expert. “Detention conditions must reflect the individual’s age and health situation, including appropriate sleeping arrangements, climatic protection, adequate space, lighting, heating, and ventilation.”

Imran Khan, 72, has a history of major health problems, including gunshot wounds from an assassination attempt in 2022 and a severe spinal injury sustained in a 2013 accident.

“Khan has reportedly been denied adequate medical attention,” Edwards said. “I urge the authorities to allow a visit by his personal physicians.”

Imran Khan’s condition has been brought up with the Pakistani government by the Special Rapporteur, who will keep an eye on events.

Jemima Goldsmith, the ex-wife of Imran Khan, emphasized in a post on X on Friday that her boys had been denied access to Imran Khan for 22 months. She requested Elon Musk to “fix the visibility” so that her message reaches the public, stating that even when she posts about him, the reach is throttled.

“A direct appeal to @elonmusk. My two boys are unable to visit or communicate with their father, Imran Khan, who has been detained illegally (according to the UN) in solitary confinement for 22 months. The only remaining venue where we can inform the world that he is a political prisoner devoid of fundamental human rights is X. However, the reach inside Pakistan (and sometimes beyond) is reduced to almost nothing each time I publish about him. Free speech—not “speech but no one hears it”—is what you promised. So that we may spread the word, kindly correct my account’s visibility filtering.”

Following unsubstantiated allegations from Afghan media that Imran Khan had passed away while in detention, rumors over his status became more intense. Noting on X that it has been “845 days” since Imran was imprisoned and that he has reportedly been kept in “a death cell” for six weeks without family contact, his son Kasim Khan requested proof that the former prime minister is still alive.

Since August 2023, Imran Khan has been incarcerated in many crimes. Tight limitations on visits have been in place for more than a month. The PTI alleges that these restrictions are being implemented at the behest of an army general, an allegation that officials deny.

As political tensions around the imprisoned opposition leader persist, PTI insisted that permitting Uzma Khanum to contact her brother was but a first step and that regular, unimpeded interactions must now be allowed in accordance with court orders.