Nous demandons que le président Musharraf retire immédiatement la Déclaration d’Urgence du 3 novembre 2007, l’Ordre Temporaire Constitutionnel (OTC) No.1 de 2007 mettant la Constitution du Pakistan en suspension.
Depuis le 6 novembre 2007 les militaires ont continué leur répression. Le juge en chef Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry a été pris à Baluchistan, et beaucoup d’autres juges et avocats ainsi que des ouvriers et des activistes des Droits de l’Homme ont été arrêtés.
L’AIJD a été informé par son Député Sécrétaire Général, Akhtar Hussain, que le 12 novembre 2007, le Barreau de la Cour Suprême de Sindh dans la Karachi, dont il est un dirigeant et l’ancien président, a unanimement passé une résolution réitérant ses résolutions précédentes approuvant pleinement l’appel du Barreau du Pakistan, du Barreau de la court suprême et d’autres associations d’avocats dans tout le pays en condamnant la proclamation de l’urgence et de l’OTC.
The resolution also gave support to those Judges of Superior Courts, who have not taken Oath under PCO and the lawyers resolved not to appear before the persons Occupying the Supreme Court and High Courts by taking Oath under PCO violating the Constitution and the Judgment of Supreme Court, until the 16th November 2007 and thereafter in consultation with and consensus of lawyers leadership decide about the future course of action. They appealed to the members of the Bar to socially boycott those persons who have taken Oath under PCO and also those lawyers who are not following the decisions of the Bar.
The resolution further stated that any elections called while the Emergency PCO is in effect will be a meaningless fraud played on the people of Pakistan.
They further condemned the amendment made in Pakistan Army Act whereunder Military Courts were established to try Civilians, and agreed to resist the proposed amendments of the Bar Council Act empowering Judges to grant, suspend or cancel licenses of Advocates.
IADL is informed that Bar Associations throughout Pakistan have supported similar strongly worded resolutions, appealing to the community of lawyers and judges to resist these orders and appealing to the international community and civil society to support the aims of the resolution.
IADL is informed that shortly after the meeting of the High Court Bar in Sindh, Mr. Akhtar Hussain was arrested along with several others under three month detention orders.
IADL salutes the lawyers of Pakistan on their principled stand for upholding the Constitution, independence of judiciary and the rule of law. IADL condemns the continuing arrests of leading lawyers and judges and demands the immediate end of the state of emergency, and release of all those detained.
Issued on the 13th of November 2007
Ms.Jeanne Mirer
Secretary General
Jitendra Sharma
President