Pakistan Military Courts Sentence 25 Over Pro-Imran Khan Unrest

The convictions stem from violence following Khan's 2023 arrest, with sentences ranging from two to ten years amidst concerns over human rights and judicial transparency.

• Pakistani military courts convicted 25 men of involvement in May 2023 unrest after Imran Khan’s arrest, with 14 receiving 10-year prison terms and others shorter sentences.
• The unrest targeted military installations and government buildings, leading to rare prosecutions of civilians in military courts, a move criticized by rights groups like Amnesty International as violating international law.
• The Pakistani military described the violence as politically motivated and labeled it 'political terrorism,' emphasizing the need to prevent such incidents in the future.
• Imran Khan, ousted as prime minister in 2022, remains imprisoned on charges he claims are politically motivated, while his party, PTI, alleges widespread repression and human rights violations against its supporters.
• The use of military courts to try civilians has drawn controversy, with Pakistan’s Supreme Court recently suspending a prior ruling that civilians must be tried in civilian courts.

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