Government threats and attacks on media continued to contribute to a climate of fear among journalists and civil society groups, with many resorting to self-censorship. Authorities have pressured or threatened media outlets not to criticize government institutions or the judiciary (which is reluctant to give any ruling against the government).
According to the HRW, Pakistan's law enforcement agencies were responsible for grave human rights violations, including detention without charge and extrajudicial killings. Pakistan failed to enact a law criminalizing torture, despite Pakistan's international obligation to do so as a party to the Convention against Torture.
Alarmingly, Pakistan has more than 3831 prisoners on death row, one of the world's largest populations facing execution. At least 516 individuals have been executed since Pakistan lifted the moratorium on the death penalty in December 2014. Those on death row are often from the most marginalized sections of society, according to HRW.
(Article changed on Jul 19, 2023 at 2:10 PM EDT)
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