Amnesty International Criticizes Pakistan’s New Law on Public Gatherings
Amnesty International has condemned the controversial ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill’ in Pakistan. President Asif Ali Zardari has given his approval to the bill, which was passed by both houses of the Pakistan Parliament to regulate public gatherings in Islamabad.
Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, stated, “The Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024 is yet another attack on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly in Pakistan, which has a long history of enacting draconian legislation to criminalize peaceful protest and suppress the expression of dissent.”
The law was finalized last week and quickly presented to the Senate for approval by the President. The new law expands the power of authorities to restrict or ban assemblies in Islamabad on broad grounds, including the ‘disruption of daily activities,’ and significantly increases the maximum penalty for taking part in an ‘unlawful assembly’ from six months to three years’ imprisonment.
Amnesty International’s statement urged the government of Pakistan to repeal the Act and amend other laws that allow for bans on assemblies and impose restrictive requirements, which violate international human rights obligations. Any restrictions must comply with the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality.
Doubts Revealed
Amnesty International -: Amnesty International is a global organization that works to protect human rights. They speak out when they see unfair treatment or laws.
Pakistan -: Pakistan is a country in South Asia, neighboring India. It has its own government and laws.
Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill -: This is a new law in Pakistan that controls how people can gather in public places. It aims to manage protests and public meetings.
Parliament -: Parliament is a group of people who make and pass laws in a country. In Pakistan, it has two parts: the National Assembly and the Senate.
President Asif Ali Zardari -: Asif Ali Zardari was the President of Pakistan. The President is the head of the country and signs laws to make them official.
Islamabad -: Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is where the government offices and Parliament are located.
Deputy Regional Director for South Asia -: This is a high-ranking official in Amnesty International who oversees activities in South Asia, which includes countries like India, Pakistan, and others.
Babu Ram Pant -: Babu Ram Pant is a person who works for Amnesty International. He is responsible for monitoring human rights in South Asia.
unlawful assembly -: An unlawful assembly is a gathering of people that the government considers illegal. This can happen if the gathering breaks certain rules or laws.