Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan's jail trial declared illegal
A Pakistani court on Tuesday declared the trial in jail of former Premier Imran Khan on charges of leaking state secrets illegal, his lawyer said.
The special court had been conducting the trial within the prison premises, citing security concerns, since Khan's indictment on these charges last month.
Naeem Panjutha, the lawyer representing Imran Khan, announced via the social media platform 'X' that the Islamabad High Court had deemed the notification for the jail trial as illegal.
The court's order rendered all proceedings conducted since August 29 as null and void.
Quoting from the court order, it stated that the proceedings and trial conducted within the jail premises, in a manner not meeting the standards of an open trial, were flawed and compromised.
Highlighting the failure of the government's orders for the jail trial to comply with legal prerequisites, the court emphasized that under exceptional circumstances, a trial may take place in prison, provided it adheres to legal procedural requirements for an open trial or a trial in camera.
The ruling necessitates the prosecution to recommence the trial, either in an open courtroom or within the jail premises, ensuring compliance with the necessary legal criteria.
Imran Khan, the former cricket star, aged 70, who was ousted from office in 2022 after a no-confidence vote in parliament, has faced numerous legal cases against him.
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