Gazette granting indemnity to July uprising participants

The interim government has issued an ordinance granting indemnity to the July uprising participants.

Under this ordinance, all civil and criminal cases, charges, or proceedings initiated against the participants of the July uprising will be withdrawn in accordance with the prescribed provisions.

Furthermore, no new cases, charges, or proceedings can legally be initiated against the uprising participants.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Law, the President issued the ‘July Uprising (Protection and Indemnity) Ordinance, 2026’ on 25 January.

Prior to this, the draft of the ordinance was approved at a meeting of the advisory council chaired by chief advisor professor Muhammad Yunus on 15 January.

The ordinance states that if any case, charge, or proceeding was initiated against an uprising participant solely due to their involvement in the July uprising, the public prosecutor or any government-appointed lawyer shall apply to the concerned court for its withdrawal. Upon such application, the court will refrain from taking any further action regarding the case, considering it withdrawn, and the accused will be immediately discharged or acquitted, as applicable.

However, the ordinance stipulates that if a participant is accused of committing murder during the July uprising, the matter may be submitted to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for investigation. The Commission will then undertake the investigation. In cases where the victim was employed with an organisation or force, the Commission cannot assign the investigation to any current or former officer from that organisation or force. If during the investigation, it is deemed necessary to arrest or detain the accused, the investigating officer must first obtain approval from the Commission, providing justified reasons.

The ordinance further states that if the Commission’s investigation concludes that the act mentioned in the complaint was a criminal misuse under disorderly circumstances, the Commission will submit a report to the competent court. Thereafter, the court shall treat the report as equivalent to a police report and proceed accordingly.

Additionally, if the Commission’s investigation determines that the act mentioned in the complaint was part of political resistance, the Commission may, if deemed appropriate, order the government to provide compensation to the affected family. In such cases, no related case or legal proceedings can be initiated in any court.