Why Kulbhushan Jadhav’s Trial In Pakistan Was A Sham

Former chief of the Armed Forces Tribunal Bar Association, Navdeep Singh, has come out with a strong case against Pakistan for its dubious sentencing of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death on spying charges.

In a tweet, the former military reservist has brought to light the facts that make Jadhav’s trail in Pakistan a sham.

Singh argues that “Jadhav’s trial was conducted by a Field General Court Marshal of the Army of Pakistan, which means his trial was conducted by a military jury – untrained in law, which is neither independent or impartial, which functions under the Pakistan Army – thereby denouncing the spirit of the Article 14 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.”

According to him, the trial was conducted at a secret location and Jadhav was not represented by a lawyer, but was provided with a ‘defending officer’.

He also compared the Indian judiciary system, where retired officers are treated as civilians and are given full rights, even if they are charged with crimes as serious as espionage.