Washington (Web Desk/Agencies): A United Nations (UN) human rights working group said Monday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former premier Imran Khan’s detention is arbitrary and in violation of international law and urged the immediate release of the jailed politician.
According to foreign media, the Geneva-based UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that the "appropriate remedy would be to release Mr Khan immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law."
The UN working group said Khan's legal woes were part of a "much larger campaign of repression" against him and his PTI party. It said that in the lead up to the 2024 elections, members of Khan's party were arrested and tortured and their rallies were disrupted.
It also alleged "widespread fraud on election day, stealing dozens of parliamentary seats."
The Pakistani embassy in Washington had no immediate comment while the Election Commission of Pakistan denies that the elections were rigged.
The PTI founder has been in jail since last August and was convicted in some cases ahead of a nationwide election earlier this year. He is also fighting dozens of other cases which are continuing.
On August 5 last year, a trial court in Islamabad had convicted the PTI founder in a Toshakhana case filed by the ECP and handed him three-year imprisonment. The conviction had him disqualified for five years by the ECP later, but the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the sentence.
The former premier and his party claim that the charges against him were "politically motivated" to thwart his return to power in this year's elections.
He alleged the US played a role in his ousting by colluding with his political rivals. Both deny the accusations.
In recent months, the courts have suspended Imran Khan’s jail sentences in two cases related to illegal acquisition and sale of state gifts, and also overturned his conviction on charges of leaking state secrets in the cipher case.