By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Lucknow: Asma Jahangir, special representative of the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), described as improper the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council’s decision to bar lawyers from pleading the cases of detained terrorism suspects in the state.
On her visit to the state capital on 18th March, a group of Muslim leaders met with her and told her about the arrest of Muslims, especially religious minded youths, on pretext of terrorism attacks. They also informed her that the Bar Council was not allowing lawyers to plead the cases of the terrorism suspects.
After hearing their complaint, Asma Jahangir, who is also a member of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, said the right to not allow a lawyer to plead a case was vested in the court and this decision by lawyers’ body without any court directive seemed to be a decision taken in a haste. She said even a most heinous criminal has right to avail legal assistance and defend his case. It is said that more than a dozen such detainees are languishing in the state jails. The police have not yet presented any substantial evidence against them.