General Pervez Musharraf was convicted of ‘high treason’ and sentenced to death for suspending the constitution when he imposed a state of emergency in November 2007
Responding to the conviction and sentencing to death of former Pakistani military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, for suspending the constitution when he imposed a state of emergency in November 2007, Amnesty International’s Deputy South Asia Director, Omar Waraich, said:
“General Pervez Musharraf and the government he led must be held to account for all human rights violations committed during their time in office, not just a select few. This includes extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detentions, deaths in custody, unlawful killings and other serious human rights violations committed against the political opposition, human rights defenders, members of civil society and suspected members of armed groups.
“No one is above the law, and it is encouraging to see Pakistan break with a history of impunity for powerful generals. At the same time, it is crucial that he receives a fair trial without recourse to the death penalty. The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment; it metes out vengeance, not justice.”
Background
General Pervez Musharraf was convicted of ‘high treason’ and sentenced to death for suspending the constitution when he imposed a state of emergency in November 2007.
During his nearly nine-year rule, Amnesty International documented widespread human rights violations conducted by Pakistan’s security forces, including the killing, enforced disappearance and torture of members of armed groups, political activists and human rights defenders.
