Wednesday, November 07, 2007

3,000 Pakistan's Lawyers Jailed - 25% of Country's Legal Profession Arrested, Charged with "Terrorism" Offenses

CNN provides an update on the fate of Pakistan's lawyers under martial rule:

About 3,000 Pakistani lawyers, rounded up since Saturday, sit in jails across the country with no courts operating to which they can appeal for release. Pakistan has an estimated 12,000 lawyers.

Police earned cash bonuses for beating and arresting hundreds of lawyers Monday who had gathered outside of Lahore's courthouse, police sources said.

Any lawyer who attempted to enter the Lahore or Islamabad courthouse Tuesday was immediately arrested, witnesses said. Some were grabbed by police as they walked toward the court, sources said.

CNN's Zain Verjee said the lawyers were charged with terrorism offenses, and human rights workers and journalists were also arrested.

In addition, television news channels -- including CNN and the BBC -- were taken off the air, Verjee said

ABA Journal also covers this story:

Already, a group of eight replacement judges on the supreme court has "set aside" a finding by the former supreme court that Musharraf's state of emergency is unconstitutional, according to the Associated Press.

- Garry J. Wise, Toronto

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