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Pakistan court says Khan's jail trial illegal: lawyer

By AAP Newswire

Nov 22, 2023

Islamabad High Court — A jail trial of Imran Khan on charges of leaking state secrets has reportedly been ruled illegal. -EPA

A Pakistani court has declared the jail trial of former prime minister Imran Khan on charges of leaking state secrets illegal, his lawyer says.

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A special court has been conducting the trial in jail citing security concerns since Khan was indicted on the charges last month.

"Islamabad High Court has declared illegal the notification for jail trial," said Naeem Panjutha, the lawyer, in a post on social media platform X.

Khan's legal team had challenged the law ministry notification that ordered the jail trial.

Imran Khan has denounced legal cases filed against him as efforts to keep him out of politics.

The charges against Khan relate to a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan's ambassador in the United States last year, which Khan is accused of making public.

Former cricket star Khan, who was forced from office in 2022 after losing a no-confidence vote in parliament, has had dozens of legal cases filed against him, which he has denounced as an effort to keep him out of politics.

He has been convicted in one graft case and sentenced to three years in jail.

The sentence was suspended but he remains in prison in connection with other cases.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press