Detained UN rights expert released from house arrest in Pakistan – UN

A United Nations human rights official tasked with monitoring religious freedom worldwide has been released from house arrest in Pakistan, a spokesperson for the world body announced today.

José-Luis Diaz of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) told reporters in Geneva that Asma Jahangir’s release was confirmed by colleagues who had spoken with her.

Ms. Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion, was detained over a week ago in the wake of the declaration of a state of emergency in Pakistan when she refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Provisional Constitutional Order.

Mr. Diaz said he hoped other human rights defenders who had been detained in the wake of Pakistan’s state of emergency, as well as others who have been imprisoned or detained for peaceful expression of their beliefs or for exercising their activities, will also be released immediately.