Senate passes bill to prevent torture, custodial deaths – Press Release

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PPP Senator Sherry Rehman. Photo: File
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman. Photo: File
  • Bill moved by PPP’s Sherry Rehman was passed unanimously by Senate and will now go to National Assembly.
  • Sherry Rehman thanks all senators, specifically Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari.
  • Amnesty International also welcomes passing of bill in Senate.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman announced on Monday that the Senate has passed the Prevention of Torture and Custodial Death Bill, putting Pakistan on the course to criminalising torture. 

“Jubilant that Senate unanimously passed my Prevention of Torture and Custodial Death Bill just now,” tweeted the senator minutes after the bill was voted by the Senate. 

Rehman thanked all senators, specifically her colleague Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, for the work they put into this bill in the committee meetings.

“Pakistan finally on way to criminalising torture,” said the senator. 

Close to an hour after the passage of the bill, rights organisation Amnesty International also welcomed the passage of the bill. It called it an “overdue and encouraging step towards the longstanding campaign to criminalise torture”.

“We urge the National Assembly to prioritise its passage into law, followed by robust implementation in line with the requirements of the UN Convention Against Torture,” urged the watchdog.

The bill was tabled by the PPP senator in February of last year. 

The goal of the bill is to define torture and its different uses in Pakistan while aligning domestic law with the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), which Pakistan ratified in 2010.

Read more: Torture and death in police custody, Where is the law to protect us?

The bill proposes jail terms and fines for public servants responsible for custodial torture, death and sexual violence, with a fine of Rs2 million along with a maximum 10-year sentence for custodial torture and a fine of Rs3 million along with a life imprisonment sentence for custodial death and sexual violence.

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