Islamabad, Dec 17: Amnesty International on Wednesday strongly condemned the Pakistani authorities for repeatedly using high-pressure water cannons against peaceful protesters gathered outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, calling the action a blatant violation of the right to peaceful assembly.
According to the human rights organisation, protesters had assembled outside the jail to demonstrate against the continued denial of court-ordered visits for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated at the facility. Amnesty said that on Tuesday night, a peaceful sit-in was once again forcibly dispersed using water cannons, despite freezing weather conditions. Participants alleged that the water used contained chemical irritants, further aggravating their suffering.
Amnesty International stressed that international human rights standards allow the use of water cannons only in cases of serious public disorder or widespread violence, neither of which was present during the protest. “The repeated and punitive use of force against peaceful demonstrators raises serious concerns for their safety and reflects a disregard for fundamental freedoms,” the organisation said.
The rights body also expressed concern over what it described as non-compliance with court orders by the authorities, particularly regarding access to Imran Khan. It noted that the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture had recently condemned Khan’s prolonged solitary confinement—reportedly 23 hours a day under constant surveillance—as unlawful and amounting to psychological torture under international standards.
Amnesty further stated that denying family members and legal counsel access to detainees violates Pakistan’s obligations under international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Referring to the United Nations’ Nelson Mandela Rules, it emphasised that restrictions on family contact must never be used as a disciplinary or punitive measure.
Calling for immediate corrective action, Amnesty urged Pakistani authorities to restore Imran Khan’s access to his family and lawyers without delay and to ensure that his detention conditions fully comply with international norms.
Last week, UN Special Rapporteur on torture Alice Jill Edwards echoed similar concerns, urging Pakistan to take urgent steps to address what she termed “inhumane and undignified” detention conditions, warning they could amount to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
