The Hindu : News / International : Second American imprisoned in a month in Pak

The Hindu : News / International : Second American imprisoned in a month in Pak

ISLAMABAD, February 26, 2011
Second American imprisoned in a month in Pak
Anita Joshua Share · Comment · print · T+

In the midst of the diplomatic row between Washington and Islamabad over an arrested American Embassy staffer charged with murder, another U.S. national has been imprisoned by Pakistani authorities for over-staying. Aaron Mark Dehaven was arrested by the Peshawar police on Friday and sent to 14-day judicial custody on Saturday by a local court.

Dehaven was quoted by CNN as telling the channel that he had applied for extension of his visa and was awaiting a decision on his application. He also claimed to have converted to Islam and having married a local. About his job profile, there was no clarity: It varied from him being an employee of an international security agency, working for a firm that rents buildings for U. S. citizens in the area, and having a construction business of his own.

Dehaven’s visa had expired on October 22, 2010, and he has been booked under the Foreigners' Act; an offence that entails three months imprisonment or deportation. According to the U. S. Embassy, he was allowed consular access and the American officials met him "as they would with any private American citizen". Signalling a marked difference in the way the mission is treating this case, the embassy statement said: "We appreciate the cooperation of the Pakistani authorities and respect the Pakistani legal process."

In the case of the arrested U. S. Embassy staffer, Raymond Davis, the mission had adopted a much harsher approach; thereby hardening the Pakistani position on the issue which remains unresolved a month since the incident in which the American gunned down two 'armed' Pakistanis in 'self-defence' in Lahore.

Besides the loss of life – a third person was killed in the Davis case as an embassy vehicle mowed down a pedestrian while rushing to the American’s assistance – matters have become complicated by indications of him being an undercover operative and the U. S. Government claiming diplomatic immunity for him.

On Friday, Davis presented a copy of a diplomatic note affirming his full immunity from criminal prosecution under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to a Lahore court. He has already spent a month in custody amid muscle-flexing by both countries and reported demands by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence that the Central Intelligence Agency come clean on the number of security contractors it has deployed in this country purportedly to keep an eye on militant groups.

Keywords: imprisonment, Pakistan, American, judicial custody