Seattle lawyers join Pakistan protest

Several hundred area lawyers gathered outside the U.S. District Courthouse in Seattle on Wednesday in a silent march of support for an independent judiciary in Pakistan.

In an unusual call to action, the American Bar Association urged attorneys throughout the United States to gather Wednesday to protest the beating and imprisonment of thousands of attorneys and judges in Pakistan since the country's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, imposed emergency rule Nov. 3. Similar marches were held in other cities, including Washington, D.C.

In his decree, Musharraf suspended the nation's constitution, dismissed its Supreme Court and blacked out independent news stations. Approximately 3,000 Pakistani lawyers and other opponents have been jailed or put under house arrest, according to international reports.

Among those who spoke after Wednesday's march in Seattle was former U.S. Attorney John McKay, now a professor at Seattle University School of Law. He said Musharraf's actions were an "open assault on courts and an open assault of the rule of law."

"Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere," said McKay, quoting Martin Luther King Jr.

Tayyab Mahmud, a Seattle University School of Law professor and a Pakistani, said Musharraf's actions should be recognized as a dictator's attempt to overthrow democracy.

"Let there be no mistake," Mahmud said. "This was a coup d'etat."

Musharraf, who rose to power as a general in the army and has been supported by the United States, placed the country under emergency rule when it became clear Pakistan's Supreme Court was about to declare his re-election last month illegal.

King County Bar Association President Eileen Concannon said Wednesday's march marked the first time in her career that the bar association has called members to action in such a manner. She said turnout was strong, considering e-mail notification of the event was not sent out until Tuesday afternoon.

"Over the last few days brave Pakistani lawyers have dressed for work and headed to court knowing that they would be met by policemen's batons and tear gas instead of their clients," wrote American Bar Association President Bill Neukom of Seattle in an e-mail to members.

Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or cclarridge@seattletimes.com