The military crackdown in Pakistan represents a direct assault on human rights.

Today is a Global Day of Action to address the unfolding emergency in Pakistan. Amnesty International will join with representatives of the legal profession and journalists around the world to protest against the arrests and arbitrary detentions. In Australia, you can write a letter or send an email calling for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders detained in Pakistan.

Last Saturday, General Musharaff effectively declared martial law by suspending the bulk of the constitution and acquiring powers to amend it without any parliamentary procedure. Since then, hundreds have been arrested and arbitrarily detained across Pakistan including lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders and political activists.

The Chief Justice and several other justices of the Supreme Court have been dismissed and placed under house arrest. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has also been subjected to house arrest.

We fear that this assault on key institutions of accountability, combined with sweeping emergency powers, will exacerbate existing patterns of human rights abuse including torture and other ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and use of excessive force to suppress peaceful dissent.

Please make a generous tax-deductible donation to Amnesty International today to help us work to protect those at risk of abuse of their human rights.

Thank you for your support.

Take action to call for the immediate release of human rights defenders detained in Pakistan