A Pakistani court has ordered the open trial of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan inside the jail premises, which will be open to the media and public.

The special court in Islamabad said that Khan’s trial on charges of leaking state secrets will start afresh on Friday, his lawyer said, according to Reuters news agency.

The court’s order was in response to the documents submitted by the government which sought the trial inside the jail premises citing threats to his life.

<h2>Court takes note of threat to Khan's life</h2>

"Threat assessments, particularly in the present case, where one of the accused is a former prime minister cannot be disregarded lightly by this court,” the order stated on Tuesday (Nov 28).

The open trial will be held at Adiala Jail premises, about 34 km (21 miles) from the capital Islamabad, where Khan has been jailed since the end of September.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain said that five family members of Khan, and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi who is also an accused in the case, will be allowed to attend the proceedings along with the public and media.

The trial of the state secret case, also called the cypher case, was being held in jail but the Islamabad High Court last week declared it illegal.

<h2>Case pertains to leaking of state secrets&nbsp;</h2>

The case pertains to a diplomatic cable – or cypher – sent to Islamabad by a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, which substantiates Khan’s claims that his removal from office last year was orchestrated by his political opponents and the Pakistani military in collusion with the US.

The US and Pakistani authorities reject the charge.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pti-urges-fair-elections-as-workers-clash-with-police-during-party-convention-663103">Pakistan: PTI seeks fair elections as workers clash with police during party convention</a>

The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been embroiled in political and legal battles since he was ousted as prime minister in April 2022. He was jailed for three years in August for unlawfully selling state gifts while in office from 2018 to 2022.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-ex-husband-of-imran-khans-wife-alleges-fraudulent-marriage-against-the-couple-662947">Pakistan: Ex-husband of Imran Khan's wife accuses the couple of 'fornication' and 'fraudulent marriage'</a>

After the graft conviction, the country’s poll body later imposed a five-year ban on Khan contesting elections.

Khan, however, denies any wrongdoing and has said all the charges against him, including the graft case and the leak of the cable, were manufactured at the behest of the military to prevent him from participating in the Feb 8 general election.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Pakistani court has ordered the open trial of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan inside the jail premises, which will be open to the media and public. The special court in Islamabad said that Khan’s trial on charges of leaking state secrets will start afresh on Friday, his lawyer said, according to Reuters news agency.

A Pakistani court has ordered the open trial of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan inside the jail premises, which will be open to the media and public. The special court in Islamabad said that Khan’s trial on charges of leaking state secrets will start afresh on Friday, his lawyer said, according to Reuters news agency. The court’s order was in response to the documents submitted by the government which sought the trial inside the jail premises citing threats to his life. Court takes note of threat to Khan's life "Threat assessments, particularly in the present case, where one of the accused is a former prime minister cannot be disregarded lightly by this court,” the order stated on Tuesday (Nov 28). The open trial will be held at Adiala Jail premises, about 34 km (21 miles) from the capital Islamabad, where Khan has been jailed since the end of September. Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain said that five family members of Khan, and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi who is also an accused in the case, will be allowed to attend the proceedings along with the public and media. The trial of the state secret case, also called the cypher case, was being held in jail but the Islamabad High Court last week declared it illegal. Case pertains to leaking of state secrets The case pertains to a diplomatic cable – or cypher – sent to Islamabad by a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, which substantiates Khan’s claims that his removal from office last year was orchestrated by his political opponents and the Pakistani military in collusion with the US. The US and Pakistani authorities reject the charge. Also read | Pakistan: PTI seeks fair elections as workers clash with police during party convention The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been embroiled in political and legal battles since he was ousted as prime minister in April 2022. He was jailed for three years in August for unlawfully selling state gifts while in office from 2018 to 2022. Also read | Pakistan: Ex-husband of Imran Khan's wife accuses the couple of 'fornication' and 'fraudulent marriage' After the graft conviction, the country’s poll body later imposed a five-year ban on Khan contesting elections. Khan, however, denies any wrongdoing and has said all the charges against him, including the graft case and the leak of the cable, were manufactured at the behest of the military to prevent him from participating in the Feb 8 general election. (With inputs from agencies)

Open trial of jailed former Pak PM Imran Khan to be held on Friday

Lawyers for two Reuters reporters <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-official-secrets-case-judge-sentences-two-reuters-journalists-to-7-years-in-jail-163207">jailed for seven years</a> in Myanmar lodged an appeal on Monday against their conviction on charges of breaking the country's Official Secrets Act.

The appeal cited evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime.

"We filed an appeal ... because the trial court's ruling was wrong," said Reuters President and Editor-in-Chief, Stephen J. Adler in a statement. "In condemning them as spies, it ignored compelling evidence of a police set-up, serious due process violations, and the prosecution's failure to prove any of the key elements of the crime."

He added the court shifted the burden of proof from the prosecution to the Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and called on Myanmar to "uphold its stated dedication to rule of law, freedom of the press, and democracy by ordering the release of our colleagues."

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/timeline-reuters-journalists-detained-in-myanmar-161794">found guilty in September</a> after a trial at a Yangon district court in a landmark case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said in September that the jailing of the reporters had nothing to do with freedom of expression. In comments made the week after their conviction, she said they had been sentenced for handling official secrets and "were not jailed because they were journalists".

Government spokesman Zaw Htay declined comment on the appeal.

Defence lawyers filed the appeal on Monday morning at the Yangon-based High Court. If the court rules to allow the appeal, an appellate judge would take written and oral arguments from prosecution and defence lawyers before handing down a decision.

Before their arrest, the reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and local Buddhists in western Myanmar's Rakhine state during an army crackdown that began in August last year. The operation sent more than 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

During eight months of hearings, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo testified that two policemen they had not met before handed them papers rolled up in a newspaper during a meeting at a Yangon restaurant on Dec. 12. Almost immediately afterwards, they said, they were bundled into a car by plainclothes officers.

On February&nbsp;1, a police witness said under cross-examination that information in the documents had already been published in newspapers. In April, a prosecution witness testified that a senior officer had ordered subordinates to plant documents on Wa Lone to "trap" the reporter.

Lawyers for two Reuters reporters jailed for seven years in Myanmar lodged an appeal on Monday against their conviction on charges of breaking the country's Official Secrets Act.

Lawyers for two Reuters reporters jailed for seven years in Myanmar lodged an appeal on Monday against their conviction on charges of breaking the country's Official Secrets Act. The appeal cited evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime. "We filed an appeal ... because the trial court's ruling was wrong," said Reuters President and Editor-in-Chief, Stephen J. Adler in a statement. "In condemning them as spies, it ignored compelling evidence of a police set-up, serious due process violations, and the prosecution's failure to prove any of the key elements of the crime." He added the court shifted the burden of proof from the prosecution to the Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and called on Myanmar to "uphold its stated dedication to rule of law, freedom of the press, and democracy by ordering the release of our colleagues." Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were found guilty in September after a trial at a Yangon district court in a landmark case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said in September that the jailing of the reporters had nothing to do with freedom of expression. In comments made the week after their conviction, she said they had been sentenced for handling official secrets and "were not jailed because they were journalists". Government spokesman Zaw Htay declined comment on the appeal. Defence lawyers filed the appeal on Monday morning at the Yangon-based High Court. If the court rules to allow the appeal, an appellate judge would take written and oral arguments from prosecution and defence lawyers before handing down a decision. Before their arrest, the reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and local Buddhists in western Myanmar's Rakhine state during an army crackdown that began in August last year. The operation sent more than 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh. During eight months of hearings, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo testified that two policemen they had not met before handed them papers rolled up in a newspaper during a meeting at a Yangon restaurant on Dec. 12. Almost immediately afterwards, they said, they were bundled into a car by plainclothes officers. On February 1, a police witness said under cross-examination that information in the documents had already been published in newspapers. In April, a prosecution witness testified that a senior officer had ordered subordinates to plant documents on Wa Lone to "trap" the reporter.

Reuters reporters in Myanmar appeal against conviction in state secrets case

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Open trial of jailed former Pak PM Imran Khan to be held on Friday

Reuters reporters in Myanmar appeal against conviction in state secrets case