Pakistan court sentences journalists to life over 2023 pro-Khan protests

Court sentences journalists successful absentia implicit alleged links to convulsive unrest aft ex-PM Imran Khan’s May 2023 arrest.

A tribunal successful Pakistan has sentenced respective journalists and societal media commentators to beingness imprisonment aft convicting them of inciting unit during riots successful 2023 linked to the apprehension of erstwhile Prime Minister Imran Khan.

An anti-terrorism tribunal judge, Tahir Abbas Sipra, announced the verdict connected Friday successful the capital, Islamabad, aft completing trials held successful absentia.

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The convicted see erstwhile service officers-turned YouTubers Adil Raja and Syed Akbar Hussain; journalists Wajahat Saeed Khan, Sabir Shakir and Shaheen Sehbai, commentator Haider Raza Mehdi, and expert Moeed Pirzada, according to the court’s decision.

None of the accused was contiguous successful tribunal arsenic they person been surviving overseas aft leaving Pakistan successful caller years to debar arrest.

The convictions stem from cases registered aft unrest successful May 2023 saw immoderate of Khan’s supporters attack subject facilities and authorities spot successful effect to his little apprehension successful a corruption case.

Since then, the Pakistani authorities and subject person launched a sweeping crackdown connected Khan’s enactment and dissenting voices, utilizing anti-terrorism laws and subject trials to prosecute hundreds accused of incitement and attacks connected authorities institutions.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said successful 2023 that the investigations amounted to retaliation against captious reporting.

“Authorities indispensable instantly driblet these investigations and cease the relentless intimidation and censorship of the media,” CPJ Asia programme coordinator Beh Lih Yi said.

Journalist Sabir Shakir, who antecedently hosted a fashionable tv programme connected ARY TV earlier leaving Pakistan, told The Associated Press quality bureau connected Friday that helium was alert of his conviction.

He said that helium wasn’t successful the state erstwhile constabulary accused him of encouraging mob violence.

“The ruling against maine and others is thing but a governmental victimisation,” Shakir told AP.

Under Friday’s tribunal order, those convicted person the close to record appeals wrong 7 days.

The tribunal besides directed constabulary to apprehension them and transportation them to situation should they instrumentality to Pakistan.