Pakistani lawyers who 'fall off the radar' of international media attention are likely to remain incarcerated indefinitely, or meet an even worse fate, the UN Secretary General's special representative on human rights defenders has warned.


Hina Jilani, who is herself from Pakistan, called upon the Law Society and other supporters of human rights worldwide to keep the crisis in Pakistan 'in the headlines'.



She said: 'The country's judges and lawyers need your encouragement to stand up for the human rights of activists and other citizens. Otherwise, when General Musharraf's excesses become yesterday's news, the prisoners - especially those in the smaller towns where there are no international observers - will simply fall off the radar and be at the mercy of the regime.'



She added: 'The UK and US governments have been restrained in their condemnation of General Musharraf because he is, supposedly, an ally in the "war on terror". In fact, the chaos he is fomenting will create precisely the conditions in which separatist movements and other extremists thrive.'



Ms Jilani welcomed the statements of support and letters of intervention issued by the Law Society, Bar Council, International Bar Association and others.



She also welcomed an announcement by Tony Fisher, chairman of the Law Society's international human rights committee, that a high-level delegation to Pakistan was planned for early 2008.



In the meantime, Ms Jilani led a protest rally outside 10 Downing Street last Saturday intended to spur the UK government to show its unequivocal support for a return to the rule of law in Pakistan. Law Society President Andrew Holroyd, along with 1,000 others, took part.



Jonathan Rayner