An indefensible ruling in Pakistan

A two-judge bench of the Lahore High Court has dismissed challenges to three death penalty cases from military courts. According to this account, the court ruled without requiring the government to respond, and held that the petitioners had not demonstrated a reason to set aside the convictions. The petitioners' counsel, on the other hand, noted that they had not been able to obtain a copy of the charges or trial proceedings. It seems unreasonable to deny access to the critical documents and then find that the petitioners have not shown the presence of some legal error.

"What we have here," to quote the prison warden, above left, in Cool Hand Luke, "is a failure to communicate."

The case will now go to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.