Amnesty International said it was crucial that former president Pervez Musharraf received “a fair trial without recourse to the death penalty” after a special court earlier in the day handed the death penalty to the ex-military ruler.
In a statement issued on the NGO’s website, its deputy director for South Asia, Omar Waraich, said: “General Pervez Musharraf and the government he led must be held to account for all human rights violations committed during their time in office, not just a select few.
Waraich lauded Pakistan’s move to “break with a history of impunity for powerful generals”.
“At the same time, it is crucial that he receives a fair trial without recourse to the death penalty.
The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment; it metes out vengeance, not justice,” he added.
