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Christians accuse Pakistan police of illegal detentions

Mass arrests in wake of suicide bombings draws censure from rights groups
Christians accuse Pakistan police of illegal detentions
Published: March 31, 2015 07:16 AM GMT
Updated: April 02, 2015 05:53 PM GMT

Police have illegally detained dozens of Christians following riots in the aftermath of the deadly suicide bombings on Catholic churches in Lahore, a Christian rights activist said on Tuesday.

“Police have rounded up more than 100 Christians in connection with the riots and the killing of two terror suspects,” said Joseph Francis, National Director for Center for Legal Aid and Assistance (CLAAS), a non-profit law firm, which takes up cases of persecuted Christians.

At least 16 people were killed on March 15 when twin suicide bombers detonated themselves at a Roman Catholic Church and a Christ Church during Sunday Service in Youhanabad, a Christian neighborhood of Lahore.

Enraged Christians across Pakistan took to the streets to protest the bombings. In Lahore, several demonstrators allegedly killed two men suspected of being accomplices in the attacks.

In the days that followed, dozens of Christians were picked up and have been held since then without being brought before the courts, Francis said.

He said most of those arrested have been detained more than 10 days without being produced in courts.

Under Pakistani law, police are bound to produce suspects before the courts within 24 hours.

“We have filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, seeking the release of Christians being detained illegally by the Punjab police,” he told ucanews.com.

“So far we have received 43 applications from Christian families about the detention of their relatives,” he said.

“We believe in the due process of law and don’t want to create any obstacles to the investigations. But police must produce the arrested people before courts so that we can apply for their bail.”

Pakistan’s independent human rights commission also expressed serious concern over the mass arrests and an "atmosphere of fear" that has since prevailed within the Christian community.

“The commission has called upon the law enforcement agencies to conduct their operations, especially those involving the search for and arrest of suspects, in a manner that does not aggravate the Christian community’s feelings of insecurity and undue interference with their privacy and liberty,” it said in a statement.

“The police are being accused of terrorizing the population with post-midnight raids on their homes and their behavior toward people including women. Over one hundred Christian citizens are allegedly being detained and subjected to third-degree methods without being produced in any court.”

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