Barriers to Justice: Protecting the Right to a Fair Hearing
Justice is not simply about determining guilt or innocence. It is also about ensuring that every person, regardless of their views, identity or circumstances, has the right to be heard, to defend themselves and to receive a fair trial.
Recent developments in Pakistan have raised serious concerns about due process, judicial independence and the treatment of individuals facing criminal charges. Controversial convictions and lengthy prison sentences have sparked debate among legal professionals, human rights advocates and international observers about the safeguards that are meant to protect fundamental rights.
At the heart of this discussion is a principle that should never be compromised: no one should be denied a fair hearing, and no one should be considered guilty without due process. Because the right to a fair hearing is not a favour granted by the state. It is a fundamental right that protects us all.
About the Panelists:
- Dr. Shireen Mazari
(Political Scientist, Former Federal Minister for Human Rights) - Faisal Siddiqui
(Advocate Supreme Court, Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science and McGill University in Montreal, Canada) - Farieha Aziz
(Journalist, Policy Expert, Co-Founder of ‘Bolo Bhi’) - Riyasat Ali Azad
(Supreme Court Lawyer, Former President of Islamabad Bar Association) - Usama Khilji
(Columnist, Digital Rights Expert, Director of ‘Bolo Bhi’ — Moderator)
These classes are free and open to all subject to registration and approval.
The Black Hole
Plot 5H, Street 100, G-11/3, Islamabad.
Click here for Google Maps Location
