Amnesty International on Tuesday, 4 August called on Pakistani authorities to unconditionally restore the rights of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi Khan, including access to family, legal counsel, and adequate medical care. The appeal comes as the couple approaches the second anniversary of Imran Khan's detention under conditions the global rights body has described as unlawful and politically motivated.

What Amnesty International Said

Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International's Acting Regional Director for South Asia, said in a statement: 'For three years, Pakistan's authorities have systematically denied Imran Khan the right to a fair trial, subjected him to prolonged solitary confinement, and limited his access to medical care and visitation rights. He has not been allowed to meet his family for more than eight months, and his vision has reportedly deteriorated significantly. Both he and his wife, Bushra Bibi Khan, have now been denied regular access to legal counsel since December 2025.'

The organisation also urged Pakistani authorities to facilitate the right to peaceful protest for Imran Khan's family and supporters ahead of planned anniversary gatherings. Lassee warned against a repeat of what she called 'unlawful and arbitrary crackdowns' on supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Detention Timeline and Key Events

Imran Khan was first arrested on 9 May 2023, triggering mass nationwide protests, and was detained again on 5 August 2023, remaining in custody since. Following the 9 May 2023 protests and a subsequent crackdown on 26 November 2024, key PTI members and supporters faced what Amnesty described as mass and arbitrary arrests. According to the organisation, 85 individuals have been convicted by military courts, while many others remain held under anti-terrorism charges.

In January 2025, Imran Khan was acquitted in cases involving official secrets and his marriage to Bushra Bibi Khan — yet his detention has continued under separate proceedings.

International Pressure Mounts

Amnesty's appeal follows a July statement by Alice Jill Edwards, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, who expressed concern over Imran Khan's detention conditions and his inability to access medical care of his own choice. Edwards urged Pakistan to restore humane conditions and allow the former Prime Minister to undergo a medical examination and receive treatment independently.

Amnesty International said it had analysed the cases against Imran Khan in 2024 and concluded that his imprisonment was both unlawful and politically motivated — a characterisation the Pakistani government has not accepted.

What the Rights Body Is Demanding

The organisation's demands include: an end to solitary confinement for both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Khan; immediate restoration of regular access to legal counsel; adequate medical care; the right to family visits; and unimpeded facilitation of peaceful protests by PTI supporters. Notably, the statement frames these not as political demands but as obligations under international human rights law that Pakistan is bound to uphold.

With the anniversary of Imran Khan's detention approaching and international scrutiny intensifying, pressure on Islamabad to address the conditions of his imprisonment is unlikely to ease in the near term.