Pakistan: journalist released!

Journalist Rehmat Shah Afridi was released on parole on 24 May. He had served nine years of a life sentence handed down in June 2004 by the Lahore High Court when it commuted his death sentence.

He had been sentenced to death in June 2001 for drug-smuggling. Amnesty International believes the charges against him were politically motivated: he was the editor of the Urdu-language newspaper Maidan, which had published reports of corrupt government ministers and alleged links between the Anti-Narcotics Force, military intelligence and drug smugglers.

While in prison he had apparently been denied access to proper medical treatment for a heart condition. He was told about his release order while being treated at the Service Hospital, where he had been admitted for treatment on 16 April.

Many thanks to all who sent appeals.