Justice Project Pakistan

In commemoration of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Justice Project Pakistan, the National Commission for Human Rights, and the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service came together to launch: Reimagining State Responsibility: Training Manual for Torture Prevention — Pakistan’s first practical, institutional guide to prevent torture and uphold the rule of law. Earlier this year, JPP also trained NCHR officers from across the country on how to document and investigate torture and ill-treatment in line with both international standards and Pakistan’s Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act, 2022. 🎥 This video captures powerful moments from the Lahore event, where judges, prosecutors, police, prison officials, medico-legal experts, and human rights defenders shared one stage—with one shared goal: making rights real. Together, we can move from law to implementation. From silence to accountability. Let’s work together to ensure that rights are not just written in law but truly protected in practice. 👉 Our e-course: e-course.jpp.org.pk 👉 Our torture training toolkit: jpp.org.pk/prevention-of-… @SarahBelal_ @KamranAdilPSP @EUPakistan @omctorg @nchrofficial @ChaudhryShafeeq @FIA_Agency #ReimaginingStateAccountability #ZimmedarKaun #StopTorture #EndTorture #HumanRights #JusticeProjectPakistan #NCHR #RuleOfLaw #UNCAT #TorturePrevention

Seventeen years of cases no one else would take. Tonight, Pakistan recognised that by awarding the prestigious Tamgha-e-Imtiaz to Barrister Sarah Belal, the woman behind Justice Project Pakistan. "This medal belongs to the people who trusted us when the system had abandoned them." #JPP17Years #TamghaEImtiaz

“This medal belongs to the people who trusted us when the system had abandoned them.” As Barrister @SarahBelal_ is awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Justice Project Pakistan remembers those who wrote from death row and from prisons far from home, the families who refused to give up, and the team that continues to show up for them, day after day. The work continues. #TamghaEImtiaz #JPP17Years

For nearly two decades, Justice Project Pakistan has worked alongside those most vulnerable within Pakistan’s justice system: individuals facing execution, torture, and indefinite imprisonment, as well as Pakistanis held beyond the reach of the law, often with little public sympathy and even less protection. Today, that work is recognised through the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz conferred upon the Founder of JPP, Barrister @SarahBelal_ . #TamghaEImtiaz #JPP17Years

Founded in 2009, Justice Project Pakistan represents prisoners facing the harshest punishments, including those on death row, persons with severe mental illness, survivors of custodial torture, and Pakistanis detained beyond the reach of the law. This recognition honours work that has brought together strategic litigation, investigation, public advocacy, and storytelling to challenge how punishment is understood and applied. #TamghaEImtiaz #JPP17Years

Barrister @SarahBelal_ has been conferred the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for Public Service, recognising nearly two decades of work alongside Pakistani prisoners facing the harshest punishments at home and abroad. From death row to Bagram, this work has insisted that the law must protect those most at risk, not just in principle, but in practice. #TamghaEImtiaz #JPP17Years

Over 35 lives pulled back from execution. 6 laws changed. 1 million people reached. The work was always bigger than the award. Tonight, Pakistan agrees. #JPP17Years #TamghaEImtiaz

Seventeen years of showing up. For people days away from execution. Result: 35+ stays of execution For survivors of torture. Result: Pakistan’s first anti-torture law, 2022 For prisoners too ill to understand their sentence. Result: Supreme Court ban on executing mentally ill prisoners, 2021 And, for 42 Pakistanis who came home from Bagram. Tonight, we pause to honour the work. #JPP17Years #TamghaEImtiaz

A Supreme Court ban on executing the severely mentally ill. Pakistan's first anti-torture law. The drug death penalty abolished. None of it was inevitable. All of it was fought for. Tonight, that fight gets recognised. #JPP17Years #TamghaEImtiaz

Pakistan's CAT review ends with closing remarks from Barrister Aqeel Malik, who acknowledges that progress is a journey, highlights Pakistan's continued commitment to reform, and looks forward to considering the Concluding Observations, which he hopes will serve as a roadmap for future reform 👏#CAT84 #PakCAT

Pak Del states that mental suffering not being included is not a handicap in the law, and that courts look at the entire body of criminal laws when dealing with cases of torture. Further reasserts that presence of police in torture investigation units is not a problem because "the police officer they are investigating MAY be from another province." #CAT84 #PakCAT

Mr Kessing further requests clarity on role of NCHR in torture investigations, asking whether they have any real power to intervene in investigations, or whether their role is limited to oversight; if the latter, he asks whether the state has any plans to improve capacity of NCHR in this regard! #CAT84 #PakCAT

Vice Chair + Rapporteur of CAT Committee PV Kessing presses Pak on concerns regarding independent investigations despite Pak explanation of police inclusion for objectivity; highlights correctly that police are the ones who mostly face allegations of torture, and this raises a clear conflict of interest. #CAT84 #PakCAT

Pak response wraps up...while the positive engagement by Pak Del is encouraging, it is unfortunate to not hear some acknowledgement of the clear and obvious gaps in exisiting systems and frameworks, and intentions to amend these. Nevertheless, Committee begins with next round of questioning! Rapporteur Maeda Naoko asks why mental suffering was NOT included in definition of torture under the Act, regardless of it being penalised or not under other laws. Very pertinent question!

On the ATA 1997; Pak Delegation highlights Ghulam Hussain case in Supreme Court which sought to limit scope/definition of terrorism...however, urgent need is to CODIFY this judgement, narrowing the overreach of ATA, by amending this law. #CAT84 #PakCAT

IG Prisons highlights that "around 50" cases of torture where uncovered over the last 3 years in Punjab, and all were referred to FIA. In reality, this claim does not speak to adequate response against torture, but serves to highlight weak complaint and redressal mechanisms in Pak jails, particularly in light of NCHR's findings in Adiala Jail where out of 35 prisoners that were interviewed, 26 complained of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment (74%). Urgent need for effective, independent complaint mechanisms in jails for prisoners. #CAT84 #PakCAT

Steps taken to improve prison conditions and prison management frameworks being highlighted, including improvements to nutrition, healthcare education, vocation, and recreation; however, single most important change to be made is updating Punjab's archaic prison rules, which have remained untouched since 1978! This is the only way to guarantee improvements across the board #CAT84 #PakCAT

Pak Del talks about delay in appointment of NCHR Chairperson...highlights that the procedure envisioned under the law is designed to take civil society into account, and features lengthy, consensus based selection by parliamentarians...outline intent of ensuring that current Commission continues to carry out their mandate and that new Commission is confirmed as soon as possible #CAT84 #PakCAT

Pak Del states measures being taken to reduce overcrowding in prisons including new prisons being constructed + 7 to 10 thousand prisoners being released on parole each year...despite this, JPP's prison data reports, released each year since 2022, have shown a consistent increase in the total number of prisoners, percentage of undertrial prisoners, and overcrowding rate. Prioritising alternatives to incarceration, genuine bail + parole reform, and disincentivising police overreliance on detention are the only ways to genuinely tackle overcrowding, as laid out in @nchrofficial National Prison Reform Action Plan. #CAT84 #PakCAT

Pak Del further highlights impartiality and objectivity of FIA; contrary to statement made yesterday that police involvement in torture investigations is needed to ensure FIA objectivity. Only possible way to ENSURE impartial and objective investigations is boosting capacity of the NCHR to exercise supervision over all investigations of torture + custodial death #CAT84 #PakCAT

Fed Sec MOHR highlights that senior officers would be prosecuted + penalised if they ordered, abetted, or were aware of any torture being carried out by their suboordinates; unfortunately, not a single recorded conviction has taken place under the Torture+Custodial Death Act. Legislative protections are not enough, they must result in concrete accountability in the form of prosecutions leading to convictions. #CAT84 #PakCAT