25 Supporters Of Former Pakistan PM Who Were Overthrown By Parleman Imprisoned, US And UK Disagree

Illustration of the Court. (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The United States (US) and Britain have criticized the Pakistani military courts for sentenced to prison for two to 10 years against 25 civilians supporting former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan who were involved in the riots.

"The United States is deeply concerned that Pakistani civilians have been sentenced by military courts for their involvement in the protests on May 9, 2023. This military court has no independence of the judiciary, transparency, and legal proceedings," the US State Department said in a statement Monday, quoted by AP, Tuesday.

The US has asked Pakistan to carry out a fair and human rights court.

In London, the British Foreign Office said it respects Pakistan's legal decision. However, questioning the independence and transparency of the court's decision.

"We call on the Pakistani government to uphold its obligations based on the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights," the British Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

As many as 25 civilians convicted by military courts were accused of involvement in the riots that erupted after the arrest of former PM Khan in Islamabad, Pakistan, in May 2023.

The Pakistani military said the sentence was handed down as a strong reminder to the public not to take justice into their own hands

Former PM Khan was ousted from office through a vote of distrust in parliament in 2022. Khan was also sentenced to corruption in August 2023. Since then, Khan has been behind bars.

However, opposition parties supporting Khan continue to negotiate with the Pakistani government to ensure release.