ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International has called on the Pakistani authorities to restore former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s access to his family, legal counsel and adequate medical care, ahead of the third anniversary of his detention.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia, alleged that Pakistani authorities have denied Khan the right to a fair trial, subjected him to prolonged solitary confinement and restricted his access to medical treatment and family visits.
According to Amnesty International, Khan has not been allowed to meet his family for more than eight months, while his eyesight has reportedly deteriorated significantly. The organization also said that both Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi Khan, have been denied regular access to legal counsel since December 2025.
“Amnesty International urges the Pakistani authorities to unconditionally restore Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Khan’s right to see their family and lawyers. Both must be given access to adequate medical care and their solitary confinement, which is unlawful, should end immediately,” Lassee said.
The rights organization also urged the authorities to ensure that planned gatherings by Khan’s family, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and supporters to mark the anniversary of his detention can take place peacefully. It called on the government to facilitate the right to peaceful assembly and avoid what it described as unlawful and arbitrary crackdowns on protesters.
Background
Imran Khan, 72, was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2018 and was removed from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence. He was first arrested on May 9, 2023, triggering nationwide protests, and was taken into custody again on Aug. 5, 2023. He has remained detained since then.
Amnesty International said PTI has faced severe restrictions on its political activities since Khan’s removal from office and was barred from participating in the 2024 general election. The organization also said many PTI leaders and supporters arrested following the May 9, 2023, and Nov. 26, 2024, protests remain in detention on anti-terrorism charges, while 85 individuals have been convicted by military courts.
The organization reiterated its 2024 assessment that Khan’s imprisonment was unlawful and politically motivated. It noted that although Khan was acquitted in January 2025 in cases related to official secrets and his marriage to Bushra Bibi Khan, he is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence in a corruption case. Bushra Bibi Khan is serving a seven-year sentence in the same case. Both were also sentenced in December 2025 to an additional 17 years’ imprisonment in a case involving state gifts.
Amnesty International further noted that the UN Special Rapporteur on torture expressed concerns in December 2025 that the detention conditions of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Khan fell below international standards. It also referred to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which concluded in 2024 that Khan’s detention was arbitrary and violated international human rights law.
The Pakistani authorities have previously maintained that legal proceedings against Imran Khan are conducted in accordance with the country’s laws and judicial process.
