UN plea for stay of execution

– UN experts yesterday urged Pakistan to stay the “arbitrary execution” of an ex-police officer with a mental illness, just days before his sentence was to be carried out.

Khizar Hayat, a 55-yearold former police officer was sentenced to death in 2003, for shooting a colleague.

“The imposition of capital punishment on individuals with psychosocial disabilities is a clear violation of Pakistan’s international obligations,” said Agnes Callamard, UN expert on extrajudicial executions, and Catalina Devandas, the special rapporteur on disabled rights. “In his trial ... no questions were asked about his mental health, although he was later diagnosed with a mental condition.” –

Geneva