LAHORE: The committee formed to probe into torture of a blasphemy suspect on Monday recommended departmental action against four interrogators of the Federal Investigation Agency.

The inquiry committee has sent its recommendations to the FIA Director General Bashir Ahmed Memon for further action.

The FIA director general had formed a committee led by Additional Director Syed Farid Ali Shah to investigate the incident in which the suspect, Sajid Masih, jumped off fourth storey of the building that housed agency offices, suffering critical injuries.

The inquiry was conducted against Inspector Khalid Saeed Shah, forensic department official Ali Afroz and two other officials for their alleged involvement in the torture and abuse of Masih during interrogation.

The suspect had alleged that an FIA team led by Inspector Shah subjected him to torture and tried to force him to “sexually assault” his cousin Patras Masih, who was arrested for posting blasphemous material on social media. He said he refused to comply with the “orders” and jumped off the building.

One of the committee members told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the probe had been completed after recording of statements of FIA staff and Sajid Masih.

He said the probe found the four members of investigating team guilty of negligence and suggested departmental action against them.

Meanwhile, the Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation (CICF) president Ms Michelle Chaudhry expressed serious concern over the incident.

“We are outraged, shocked and horrified by the alleged behavior of the FIA Cyber crime Wing officials. We demand that the incident be investigated at the earliest and firm action be taken against the officials involved. These acts of brutality cannot be overlooked,” she said.

PROTEST DEMO: A good number of rights activists and civil society members gathered in front of the press club here to condemn the incident.

Separately, around 175 civil society organisations and activists endorsed a statement issued by the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF)

in this regard. Condemning the torture by law enforcement agencies, the statement says: “Not only is this a complete violation of the rights of the accused enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, but it seriously undermines the credibility of law enforcement agencies to protect citizens.”

Speaking at the demonstration organised by the Rawadari Tehreek, the protesters rejected the committee comprising FIA officials formed to probe into the incident.

While #JITforSajid has been trending on social media over the weekend, the protesters elaborated that they were demanding an independent inquiry held under the supervision of the National Human Rights Commission.

They also demanded that the FIA report in this case also be made public. They have asked for the constitution of an independent committee of medical experts to oversee Sajid’s treatment.

Several lawyers present at the protest raised the issue of police torture of suspects, especially those belonging to religious minorities.

The statement undersigned by civil society activists says: “It has come to light that Sajid and Patras were tortured by officers of the cyber crime wing and were coerced into sexually assaulting one another. Sajid, pleaded with them to stop. As a last resort, in order to escape the torture and sexual abuse, he jumped off the fourth floor of the FIA building, where the cyber crime wing is located.”

They have demanded immediate withdrawal of the FIR registered against Sajid Masih for attempted suicide.

According to some reports, the counsel for the suspect was allegedly denied access to her client and case documents.

In the statement addressed to the Ministry of Interior, the Senate Committee on Human Rights and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, it is pointed out that attempts to withhold their right to counsel would be a violation of fundamental rights.

It demanded constitution of a civil society steering committee to review and check the performance of the National Response Centre for Cyber Crime (NR3C), FIA.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2018