1. Mir Shakilur Rehman has been in NAB’s custody since 12 March. Like many others detained by NAB, he has been kept in solitary confinement, that too with cameras in his cell to monitor his every move
Under international law, this practice amount to ill-treatment, even torture
Under international law, this practice amount to ill-treatment, even torture
2. Prolonged solitary confinement is prohibited by “Mandela Rules”(Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners), which define prolonged solitary confinement as confinement of prisoners for 22 hours+ day without meaningful human contact for more than 15 consecutive days
3. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and the UN Human Rights Committee have said that when used during pre-trial detention or for indefinite/prolonged periods of time, solitary confinement can amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and even torture
4. Disturbingly, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has concluded that after 15 days, “the harmful psychological effects of isolation can become irreversible, and a significant number of individuals will experience serious health problems” regardless of their specific conditions
5. SR also expressed concern that solitary confinement during pretrial detention - as is the case in many such NAB cases - “creates a de facto situation of psychological pressure which can influence detainees to make confessions..and undermines the integrity of the investigation”
6. Art. 14 of our Constitution prohibits torture and guarantees dignity of man
Art. 7 of ICCPR, to which PK is a party, also prohibits torture, ill treatment
This inhuman practice of keeping accused in prolonged solitary confinement must be abolished/declared unconstitutional
Art. 7 of ICCPR, to which PK is a party, also prohibits torture, ill treatment
This inhuman practice of keeping accused in prolonged solitary confinement must be abolished/declared unconstitutional
