Gunshot attack against Mr. Imran Anjum

Physicalassault /

Harassment

Pakistan

May 19, 2017

TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDHand the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgentintervention in the following situation in Pakistan.

Descriptionof the situation:

TheObservatory has been informed by reliable sources about the gunshot attackagainst human rights defender Mr. ImranAnjum, the founder and Executive Director of Peaceful & Active Centerfor Humanity (PEACH)[1].Over the past 12 years, Mr. Anjum has advocated for the defence of bondedlabourers in the brick-kiln sector of Pakistan, and is presently focusing onthe rights of bonded labourers in Punjab.

According tothe information received, on May 8, 2017, at around 8 pm, two unidentifiedmasked men broke into Mr. Imran Anjum’s house in Habib Town, Sahiwal, andopened fire on him. Mr. Imran Anjum was shot twice. Chased by the neighbours,the unidentified men managed to escape. This shooting happened in a context ofcontinued threats and acts of harassment against Mr. Imran Anjum for his workas a human rights defender, namely regarding labour rights (See backgroundinformation).

A few daysbefore this incident, on May 4, 2017, Mr. Imran Anjum and his co-workers hadheld a demonstration demanding justice for Mr. Mashal Khan, a 23-year-oldPashtun and Muslim student at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan, whowas killed by a vigilante mob in the University’s premises on April 13, 2017[2].At the end of the demonstration, Mr. Imran Anjum was followed up to his home bytwo unidentified men on motorbikes.

OnMay 8, 2017, Mr. Anjum submitted an application with the Farid Town PoliceStation, district of Sahiwal, to register both a complaint and a FirstInformation Report (FIR). Although his complaint was successfully registered onMay 12, 2017, Mr. Anjum is still waiting for the registration of the FIR aswell as adequate investigations and protection measures.

TheObservatory strongly condemns the above-mentioned attack against Mr. ImranAnjum, and calls for a prompt, effective, transparent, and impartialinvestigation into those events. The Observatory more generally urges the Pakistaniauthorities to guarantee in all circumstances his physical and psychologicalintegrity.

Backgroundinformation:

Thisis not the first time Mr. Anjum has been attacked in relation to his humanrights activities. On May 20, 2016, a group of brick kiln owners displayedbanners around the city of Gojra, Punjab State, calling him 'a blasphemer' anddemanding his execution.

Thesethreats followed an attack on May 9, 2016, when Mr. Imran Anjum, along with twoof his colleagues, was travelling home to Sahiwal from a conference in Gojradevoted to the protection of the rights of brick kiln workers. Two men onmotorbikes chased his car, forcibly stopped him, dragged him and his colleaguesout of the vehicle, and threatened them with death if they did not stop theirlabour rights work or if they went back to Gojra. On that same day, Mr. Anjumfiled a complaint with the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Gojra, requestingto register an FIR and open an investigation into that attack. However, policedid not take any action.

On May 16,2012, along with other four human rights defenders, Mr. Imran Anjum was beatenat Arifwala Tehsil court premises by Iftikhar Mahar, a kiln owner, and hislawyers, while defending the rights of brick kiln workers. On May 31, 2012, Mr.Imran Anjum was convicted on charges of “attempted murder” and “blasphemy”registered by the brick kiln owners in Arifwala City of Pakpattan District. Hespent 45 days in detention.

Actionsrequested:

Please writeto the authorities of Pakistan asking them to:

i. Undertake a thorough, impartial, andtransparent criminal investigation into the threats and assault against Mr.Imran Anjum in order to identify those responsible, bring them before acompetent and impartial tribunal, and apply the sanctions provided by law;

ii. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical andpsychological integrity of Mr. Imran Anjum and allhuman rights defenders in Pakistan;

iii. Put anend to all acts of harassment - including at the judicial level - against Mr.Imran Anjum and all human rights defenders in Pakistan, and ensure in allcircumstances that they are able to carry out their activities withouthindrances;

iv. Complywith all the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 9, 1998, inparticular with its Articles 1 and 12.2;

v. Ensure inall circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms inaccordance with international human rights standards.

Addresses:

• MrMamnoon Hussain, President of Pakistan; Fax: +92 51 920 8479; Email: secretary@president.gov.pk

• Mr.Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan; Fax: +92 51 922 0404; Email:info@pmo.gov.pk

• Mr.Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Interior Minister of Pakistan; Fax: +92 51 920 2624;Email: interior.complaintcell@gmail.com

• AmbassadorFarukh Amil, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva,Switzerland; Fax: +41 22 734 80 85; Email: mission.pakistan@ties.itu.int

Please alsowrite to the diplomatic representations of Pakistan in your respectivecountries.

***

Paris-Geneva,May 19, 2017

Kindlyinform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in yourreply.

TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) wascreated in 1997 by FIDH and OMCT. The objective of this programme is to preventor remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. FIDH andOMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human RightsDefenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.

To contactthe Observatory, call the emergency line:

• E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

• Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

• Teland fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29

[1]PEACH is anon-governmental organisation working on the social and economic development ofsome of the most disadvantaged communities in Pakistan. Mr. Imran Anjum isdirectly involved in the provision of legal aid to people from thesecommunities and advocacy on the rights of bonded labourers, including workingchildren and brick kiln workers.

[2]Mr. Khan was killed by an angry mob over fake allegations of postingblasphemous content online.