The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500-0003

Dear Mr. President:

The assassination of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was devastating and further evidence that the situation continues to deteriorate in Pakistan. I urge you to publicly call on General Pervez Musharraf to immediately restore the constitution and rule of law, and to release and reinstate Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the other justices of the Supreme Court. This measure is critical to ensuring the independence of Pakistan's judiciary and maintaining stability and basic human rights in the country. Without an independent judiciary, any investigation into the assassination of Bhutto may lack credibility.


Although General Musharraf has sought to justify the suspension of the constitution as a response to terrorism and extremism, martial law, from the start, has constituted an attack on the independence of the judiciary and on civil society. As you know, President Musharraf has purged the Supreme Court of independent-minded judges. The arrests have targeted moderate and democratic critics of his rule: human rights activists, lawyers, and members of opposition political parties. It is critical for the United States government to condemn these serious human rights violations, and for senior U.S. officials to express these concerns clearly and forcefully. Without a lifting of the emergency and a return to the rule of law it is not possible for the country to proceed to free and fair elections which General Musharraf has indicated he will hold in early January.

The human rights community is in full support of effective and appropriate multilateral counterterrorism measures. However, even tacit support for this imposition of martial law and the sacking and imprisoning of justices in Pakistan can be expected to set back efforts to address terrorism in that country and throughout the region.

For these reasons, I urge you to publicly call on General Musharraf to release and reinstate Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the other justices in the Supreme Court. It is our duty to advocate the independence of the judiciary and the basic human rights of the Pakistani people- and do everything we can to bring stability back to the country.

Thank you for your attention on this matter.