Thirty international human rights organisations, including Freedom House, have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Pakistani rights activist Idris Khattak, describing the charges against him as baseless.
The joint appeal was issued on the seventh anniversary of his abduction and detention in Pakistan, highlighting long-standing concerns over the treatment of rights defenders in the country.
According to the joint statement released by the rights groups, Khattak was abducted seven years ago, leaving his family without any information regarding his fate or whether he was alive for seven months.
The organisations stated that he subsequently re-emerged in the custody of the Pakistani government and was later sentenced to 14 years in prison following what they termed baseless allegations.
The coalition of 30 international organisations described his continued imprisonment as a profound injustice that undermines legal norms and fundamental freedoms.
The signatories urged Pakistani authorities to immediately reverse his conviction and release him from custody without any preconditions.
Source: International Human Rights Groups
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