The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that military trials of civilians arrested in connection with violent protests on May 9 are invalid. The court’s five-judge bench reached the decision after hearing the petitions of some of the accused throughout June. Four of the five judges ruled that the suspects should be tried in civilian courts, with one judge dissenting. The court also ruled that certain sections of the Army Act, which allow for the trial of civilians in military courts, were unconstitutional. The verdict can still be appealed by the state before a full court.