Pakistan's Supreme Court suspends executions of six militants
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 16 April 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistan's Supreme Court suspends executions of six militants, 16 April 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5565ba0350.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 16, 2015
Pakistan's Supreme Court has suspended the executions of six Islamic militants who were sentenced to death by controversial new military courts.
The militants received the death sentence earlier in April under the first rulings by the new military courts, while a seventh convicted militant was sentenced to life in prison.
The executions were suspended on April 16 after the Supreme Court Bar Association raised questions about constitutional change in January that established the military courts.
The court is due to consider those constitutional issues on April 22.
Pakistan's parliament has said the military courts would issue rulings in terrorism cases for two years.
Nine military courts were created in the aftermath of the December 16 school massacre by Pakistani Taliban in the northwestern city of Peshawar that killed 134 students and 19 adult staff at the school.
Authorities lifted Pakistan's moratorium on the death penalty after the massacre.
More than 50 convicted terrorists who were on death row, all of whom were sentenced earlier by civilian courts, have been executed since the moratorium was lifted.
Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
