Rawalpindi (TDI): A military court on Thursday promulgated the punishments to 60 more civilians for their alleged involvement in the riots on May 9, 2023.
Country-wide violent protests erupted after paramilitary troops arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court.
The 60 accused, having spent 19 months in jail already, were awarded two to ten years in jail.
Read More: US Concerned Over Sentencing of Pakistanis by Military Courts
The development comes days after the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union expressed concern over sentencing of civilians in the military courts.
The statements from these countries noted military trials of civilians “lacked transparency” and urged the authorities to “respect the right to free trial and due process”.
However, in its statement today, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the trial of May 9 accused had been conducted “under relevant laws” and in light of the “Supreme Court’s decision.”
Read More: Military Courts Sentence 25 May 9 Rioters: ISPR
The ISPR added that all convicts can exercise their right to appeal and other legal resources as per the Constitution and law.
“The Nation, Government, and the Armed Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the inviolable writ of the state is maintained,” it added.
It should be noted that so far, 85 individuals have been awarded two to 10 years jail term by the military court.
Last week, the military court had promulgated punishments to 25 accused.
