SC offers relief to mentally ill convicts
Commutes death sentence of two prisoners to life imprisonment
Supreme Court. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD/
LAHORE:
In a landmark verdict, the top court has commuted the death sentence of two mentally challenged patients – who have been behind bars for decades – to life imprisonment while also asking the authorities to avoid a limited definition of mental disorders.
A five-judge larger bench presided over by Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik issued a 51-page judgment on petitions filed by the families of convicts after hearing the case at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry. Without touching on the mental health condition of the convict Imdad Ali, we have observed that there are sufficient reasons and circumstances available on record that warrant the conversion of the prisoner s death sentence to imprisonment for life, stated the verdict released on Wednesday.
SC halts death sentence of mentally ill prisoners
Top Story
February 11, 2021
LAHORE: Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ruled that death sentence of a condemned prisoner would not be carried out if he/she is unable, due to mental illness, to understand the rationale and reason behind his/her punishment.
“We hold that if a condemned prisoner, due to mental illness, is found to be unable to comprehend the rationale and reason behind his/her punishment, carrying out the death sentence will not meet the ends of justice,” says a judgment announced by a five-judge bench of the apex court at the Lahore registry.
The Pakistan Supreme Court on Wednesday barred the execution of three mentally-ill convicts on death row, saying that as it does not "meet the ends of justice".The verdict was delivered by a five-judge bench headed by Justice Manzoor .
The Supreme Court abolished death penalties for prisoners with mental illnesses in a landmark judgment on Wednesday. If a prisoner on death row is unable to comprehend the rationale behind their punishment due to a mental illness, then carrying out the death sentence does not