PAKISTAN: FURTHER INFORMATION: PROFESSOR AT RISK OF ARREST, REMAINS ON NO-FLY LIST: PROFESSOR MUHAMMAD ISMAIL

While Professor Muhammad Ismail was granted conditional bail on 25 November, he remains at risk of a lengthy prison sentence and re-arrest as the trumped-up charges against him have not been dropped. His family continues to face harassment and intrusive surveillance, while Professor Ismail and his wife remain on the country’s no-fly list. Charged with “hate speech” and “cyber terrorism”, he is being punished for his political expression and for defending his daughter, Gulalai Ismail, a well-known woman human rights defender in Pakistan. Amnesty International calls for all charges against Professor Ismail to be dropped unconditionally, without delay.

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Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Foreign Office Constitution Avenue, Islamabad

Pakistan Tel: +92 51-9210335

Fax: +92 51-9207600

Email: Spokesperson.office@mofa.gov.pk

Your Excellency Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

While we welcome the release of Professor Muhammad Ismail, we are concerned that he remains at risk of arrest and he and his family continue to be the subject of an intense surveillance and harassment campaign, designed to intimidate them into silence and create a sense of fear among Pakistan’s already threatened human rights defenders.

The trumped-up charges against Professor Ismail under Pakistan’s draconian Anti-Terrorism Act and Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act put him at risk of a lengthy prison sentence. If the charges against him are not dropped, he continues to face arrest and prosecution.

He must not be punished for exercising his right to freedom of expression, including in defence of his daughter, Gulalai Ismail – who was forced to flee her home country.

Yours Sincerely

Additional information