Amnesty International South Asia has demanded action from Pakistani authorities regarding the case of Abdul Hameed Zehri, who has been missing since April 2021.
In a Twitter statement, the organization expressed solidarity with Zehri’s family and called on authorities to immediately disclose his whereabouts. “We call on Pakistani authorities to disclose the whereabouts of Abdul Hameed Zehri and if in their custody, immediately release him or promptly bring him before a civilian court to rule on the legality of his detention,” the statement read.
Amnesty International South Asia further added that if Zehri remains in detention, he must be charged with an internationally recognized offense. The organization insisted on a fair trial in a civilian court, emphasizing that due process should be upheld and that the use of the death penalty should be avoided.
Zehri, a resident of Khuzdar, was reportedly forcibly disappeared from Karachi on April 10, 2021. His family alleges that Zehri was forcibly taken from his home in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Johar area by Pakistani secret agency personnel and the Sindh Police.
Zehri’s daughter, Saeeda Hameed, has been actively protesting for her father’s safe return for more than two years. She has called upon the Sindh government and human rights organizations to assist in her father’s release.
Meanwhile, Zehri’s family launched a Twitter campaign on Sunday to raise awareness and seek his recovery. The campaign attracted participants from Baloch political organizations, social media activists, and people from various backgrounds. Consequently, the hashtag #ReleaseAbdulHameedZehri became one of the top trends on Twitter in Pakistan.