Pakistan’s crackdown on online disinformation has drawn criticism from rights groups, who say the law is being used to silence critical voices — especially journalists.
Since Pakistan strengthened laws targeting online content earlier this year, human rights groups and digital rights advocates have raised renewed concerns about the country’s press freedom.
The amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) criminalizes the intentional dissemination of false information online that could incite fear, panic or unrest.
Journalists are alarmed about the potentially wide reach of the law, which allows authorities to imprison social media users for up to three years for spreading disinformation and issue fines of up to 2 million rupees ($7,121 / €6,822).
Journalists detained under PECA law
Just months after the PECA legislation was enacted, journalists Farhan Mallick and Waheed Murad were detained.
Murad, a reporter with the Saudi-owned daily Urdu News, was arrested during a nighttime raid at his residence for allegedly disseminating “online disinformation” before being granted bail.
“The law has been misused in a way that they pick up journalists prior to filing a case against them. The same procedure was followed in my case,” Murad told DW.
