Pakistan: Journalist critical of military attacked at home

Pakistan: Journalist critical of military attacked at home
Journalist Asad Ali Toor, pictured after the attack on May 26. Photo: Aljazeera.com

During the night of Tuesday 25th of May, Journalist Asad Ali Toor was reportedly  attacked by unknown assailants in his apartment. In a video message released from  hospital on May 26, the journalist said three people broke into his apartment, gagged him,  tied his hands and feet, and beat him with a pistol. Toor claimed that he was interrogated  about his sources of money and "financing," and that he was forced to yell chants praising  Pakistan, its military, and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. 

According to Toor, the attackers identified themselves as members of the ISI agency,  which has previously been accused by rights groups of participation in enforced  disappearances and extrajudicial killings. 

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) called the assault “yet  another attack on freedom of expression and a free press”. Despite the government's  claims that it respects freedom of speech, journalists and press freedom advocates accuse  Pakistan's military and other security forces of harassing and attacking journalists.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/26/pakistani-journalist-assaulted-in-latest-press-freedom-attack