Pakistan - August 2022

In an escalation of months-long clashes between former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the current government, Khan was charged under Pakistan’s anti-terror law for remarks made at a rally on 20 August against a female judge and police officials. This followed the arrest and alleged torture of his Chief of Staff Shabaz Gill, who remains in police custody on sedition charges. Pakistan’s terrorism laws purposefully contain vague language and have a history of being misused for political gain, ultimately curtailing freedom of speech.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Japan Times