UN Special Rapporteur says conditions fall far below minimum international standards
Former first lady Bushra Bibi. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
A United Nations expert has warned that the condition of Bushra Bibi Khan, wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is in detention, could pose a serious risk to her physical and mental well-being, and urged the government to take immediate corrective measures.
Bushra Bibi is currently serving a seven-year sentence in a £190m corruption case. Separately, a special court last week sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana-II case.
“The State has an obligation to protect Ms. Khan’s health and ensure conditions of detention consistent with human dignity,” Alice Jill Edwards, the U.N. special rapporteur on torture, said in a statement issued Wednesday.
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According to the rapporteur, Bushra Bibi, held in Adiala prison, would be confined in a small, poorly ventilated cell, described as dirty, overheated and infested with insects and rodents. Frequent power outages supposedly leave the cell in complete darkness, while he is provided with dirty drinking water and food that is rendered inedible due to excessive use of chili powder.
The statement says these conditions have led to weight loss of around 15 kilograms, recurrent infections, fainting and untreated medical complications, including a tooth abscess and a stomach ulcer, which Edwards said were due to alleged food contamination during a previous period of detention.
“These conditions are far below minimum international standards,” Edwards said. “No detainee should be exposed to extreme heat, contaminated food or water, or conditions that aggravate existing medical conditions.”
He also reminded Pakistan that detention conditions must take into account the age, sex and health circumstances of detainees.
The UN expert further noted that reports indicate that Bushra Bibi is frequently subjected to near-total isolation for more than 22 hours a day, sometimes for periods exceeding ten days. During these intervals he is reportedly denied access to exercise, reading material, legal assistance, family visits or his personal doctors.
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“Such prolonged isolation increases psychological distress and prevents access to essential safeguards,” he added. “Coupled with untreated medical needs, it represents a serious risk.”
“Authorities must ensure that Ms Khan has the opportunity to communicate with her lawyers and receive family visits, and have meaningful human contact during her detention,” Edwards said.
It is pertinent to note that in early April this year, a report on Bushra Bibi’s prison conditions was submitted to the Islamabad High Court, which stated that she receives regular health checks and is lodged in a separate spacious room within the facility.
The report states that he undergoes medical check-ups twice a day and has been provided with basic furniture, including a mattress, chair, table and bookshelf, as well as adequate lighting, fans and a refrigerator for the summer. An LCD TV has also been made available in the room.
He further said that a separate kitchen has been arranged so that he can prepare his own meals, which are examined by the prison doctor before being served.
Earlier this month, Edwards had also raised serious concerns over what he described as the inhumane detention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, urging Pakistan to take immediate and effective steps to address reports of the 73-year-old’s undignified and degrading confinement conditions.
