LAHORE (ENN) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in a statement on Tuesday expressed concern over the issuance of a non-bailable arrest warrant against journalist Cyril Almeida and the placement of his name on the no-fly list, well known as Exit control list (ECL).
On Monday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had issued warrants for Dawn Assistant Editor Cyril Almeida and ordered the concerned authorities to put his name on the ECL for not attending proceedings in a petition seeking action against PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on treason charges.
It should be mentioned that Almeida was being represented by his counsel in court, but the bench had insisted on him being present in person.
“The HRCP is greatly perturbed to learn that the LHC has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for journalist Almeida, requiring him to appear at the next hearing of a case seeking action against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on charges of treason,” read a statement issued by HRCP Chairman Dr Mehdi Hasan.
The HRCP termed the court’s decision “regrettable”, adding that “Mr Almeida, a widely read and highly respected journalist, is being hounded for nothing more than doing his job — speaking on the record to a political figure and reporting the facts.”
“As a law-abiding citizen, Mr Almeida has no reason not to appear before the court as directed. Placing him on the ECL and issuing a non-bailable warrant is an excessive measure.”
“The ease with which Mr Almeida’s interview with the former prime minister was perceived as an attempt to allegedly defame state institutions, and the pace at which this has spiralled into charges of treason, only serve to further choke press freedom in Pakistan,” the statement read.
Moreover the case in which Almeida has been ordered to be produced before the court was filed by civil society member Amina Malik through Advocate Azhar Siddique.
It seeks action against Nawaz Sharif under treason charges for allegedly trying to defame state institutions in an interview to daily Dawn. It also seeks action against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for allegedly not honouring his oath of office and disclosing the minutes of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting to Nawaz.
