UN Expert Warns Imran Khan’s Detention Conditions in Pakistan May Constitute Torture

UN Expert Warns Imran Khan’s Detention Conditions in Pakistan May Constitute Torture

According to information received, the former Prime Minister is not permitted outdoor activity or interaction with other detainees and is unable to join communal prayers.

RMN News Human Rights Desk
New Delhi | December 15, 2025

GENEVA—The UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, has urged the Government of Pakistan to take immediate and effective action to address reports detailing the “inhumane and undignified detention conditions” of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Edwards warned that the reported circumstances of Khan’s confinement could potentially amount to torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment.

The UN expert called on Pakistani authorities to ensure Khan’s conditions of detention fully comply with international norms and standards. Since his transfer to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on September 26, 2023, Imran Khan has reportedly been held for excessive periods in solitary confinement, confined for 23 hours a day in his cell. His cell is also reportedly under constant camera surveillance.

The Special Rapporteur stressed that prolonged or indefinite solitary confinement is prohibited under international human rights law. When isolation extends longer than 15 days, it constitutes a form of psychological torture. Edwards demanded that Khan’s solitary confinement be lifted without delay, noting that extended isolation can bring about “very harmful consequences for his physical and mental health”.

According to information received, the former Prime Minister is not permitted outdoor activity or interaction with other detainees and is unable to join communal prayers. Visits from lawyers, family members, and others authorized by the courts are reportedly frequently interrupted or ended prematurely.

Reports detail that Khan is held in a small cell lacking natural light and adequate ventilation. Temperatures reportedly become extreme in both winter and summer, and poor air circulation has led to foul odours and insect infestations. As a result of these conditions, Khan has reportedly suffered nausea, vomiting, and noticeable weight loss.

Mr. Khan, aged 72, has a history of significant health issues, including a serious spinal injury from a 2013 accident and gunshot wounds from a 2022 assassination attempt. Edwards noted that Khan has reportedly been denied adequate medical attention and urged authorities to allow a visit by his personal physicians.

Edwards emphasized that anyone deprived of liberty must be treated with humanity and dignity, and detention conditions must reflect the individual’s age and health situation. The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has raised this situation with the Government of Pakistan and will continue to follow developments.