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Pak anti-terrorism courts breach trial norms: Amnesty
Pakistan`s new anti-terrorist courts which provide for military officers on the tribunals breach international norms for fair trials, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
Pakistan's new anti-terrorist courts which provide for military officers on the tribunals breach international norms for fair trials, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
On January 31, a new law came into force here providing for one senior military officer to sit with two civilian judges on panels that try terrorism cases.
In a statement faxed to news organizations, Amnesty said the new law contravenes the 1985 United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, which declares that everyone has the right to a speedy trial before a civilian court.
The Pakistani government said the new law is designed to speed the judicial process because of the heavy backlog of cases for both terrorist and ordinary criminal offences.
Anti-terrorist courts have operated in Pakistan since 1997. However, the government said changes in the law, including the presence of military officers on the panels, was necessary because of intimidation of judges in cases of religious extremism.
Amnesty International has long been critical of Pakistan's judicial system and its handling of terrorism cases.
The human rights organisation claims dozens of people have been convicted by anti-terrorism and other special courts. Most of the death sentences in Pakistan have been imposed by anti-terrorist tribunals. Bureau Report
On January 31, a new law came into force here providing for one senior military officer to sit with two civilian judges on panels that try terrorism cases.
In a statement faxed to news organizations, Amnesty said the new law contravenes the 1985 United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, which declares that everyone has the right to a speedy trial before a civilian court.
The Pakistani government said the new law is designed to speed the judicial process because of the heavy backlog of cases for both terrorist and ordinary criminal offences.
Anti-terrorist courts have operated in Pakistan since 1997. However, the government said changes in the law, including the presence of military officers on the panels, was necessary because of intimidation of judges in cases of religious extremism.
Amnesty International has long been critical of Pakistan's judicial system and its handling of terrorism cases.
The human rights organisation claims dozens of people have been convicted by anti-terrorism and other special courts. Most of the death sentences in Pakistan have been imposed by anti-terrorist tribunals. Bureau Report