FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-STM-104-2017
AHRC-STM-104-2017
21 August 2017
A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Blogger Ahmed Waqas Goraya, who disappeared earlier this year along
with four other social media activists, has recently revealed the
names of his abductors. Mr. Goraya posted on his Facebook page that
Colonel Khalid of the Pakistani intelligence agency, the ISI, and a
civilian deputy director, Mr. Irtiza, tortured him while in custody.
Having remained quiet for many months, Mr. Goraya stated that he was
now compelled to reveal the officials’ names to expose their
maligning campaign against his family, particularly his wife.
Mr. Goraya has further stated that it was Colonel Khalid who made fake
screenshots of the ‘blasphemous posts’ used as ‘evidence’ of
his alleged blasphemy. According to the blogger, by using blasphemy as
a tool to campaign against bloggers and activists, the intelligence
agencies are playing with the sentiments of the people.
In the case of the four bloggers, the intelligence agencies’ tactics
to disappear their critics backfired, and they had to be released. The
intelligence agencies then began a maligning campaign against them,
which continued for several months after their release. Mr. Goraya was
brave enough to stand up against them however and even named his
abductors.
In Pakistan, an allegation of blasphemy is enough to incarcerate,
lynch and murder the alleged accused. The general masses are made to
believe that they are not adequate Muslims if they do not take up arms
against the blasphemer. The accusation requires no evidence
whatsoever, and a charged mob unleashes its wrath on the unfortunate
person without giving him a chance to explain himself.
According to Mr. Goraya, the military paid the anchors of TV channel
Bol to incite the masses against the bloggers, having doctored images
that contained blasphemous content against the prophet (PHUB).
To make matters worse, Pakistan’s judiciary is now handing out death
sentences for blasphemy committed online. On 10 June 2017, an
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) sentenced a man to death for sharing
blasphemous content about Islam on social media. The Counter Terrorism
Department (CTD) had arrested the alleged accused, who belongs to the
Shia community. Given that online media accounts can be easily hacked
and fake screenshots created, it is a dangerous precedence for courts
to dole out capital punishments for cyber related crimes. According to
rights activists, the sentence is the harshest among cyber-crime
related sentences handed down so far in the country.
At least 19 people remain on death row after being convicted under
Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy law, and hundreds await trial. Most
of those facing blasphemy are members of religious minorities, often
victimized due to personal disputes.
Though the state of Pakistan has never executed anyone convicted of
blasphemy, angry mob and jail inmates are incited to do the state’s
dirty work, such as a British Ahmadi blasphemy accused, who was
murdered inside the jail by the jailer.
Critiques of state policies and those subscribing to religions other
than the state religion, attract the ire of the establishment. The
common perception in Pakistan, that ordinary citizens are not free to
express their thoughts, has been validated with state inaction towards
hate mongers and the clamping down on social media activists.
Pakistan is cracking down against blasphemy related crimes on social
media with the former Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar, threatening
to block all social media websites with 'blasphemous content'.
Given the widespread abuse of the blasphemy law, that has only
recently garnered local and international media attention following
the lynching of student Mashal Khan, the judiciary is suggesting
measures to punish false accusations.
Recently the Islamabad High Court has suggested that parliament make
the blasphemy law tougher
by fixing the same punishment for any person misusing it or falsely
accusing someone of blasphemy. Currently, there is a very minor
punishment for falsely accusing someone of blasphemy. Section 182 of
the PPC entails the maximum punishment of six months or a fine up to
Rs1,000 only; a very minor punishment for such a serious offence of
accusing someone of blasphemy.
The liberty to speak one’s mind without fear of repercussion is fast
shrinking. The masses live under constant fear of being trolled
online, harassed and threatened in the real world. No one dares speak
for his or her rights, or in favor of the marginalized. To condemn
religious extremism, mass corruption, and military dictatorship is
akin to blasphemy and is not permitted.
Meanwhile, pro establishment militants are allowed to spew hatred and
kill innocent civilians. When anyone questions why these elements go
scot free, their loyalty and patriotism is questioned, and they are
termed traitors. Lastly, blasphemy allegations are used to ruin their
lives, compelling them to flee the country.
The Federal investigation Agency (FIA) has become a tool of oppression
and is used to interrogate and target social media activists for
exercising their right to freedom of expression on social media. In
March 2017, the FIA arrested and interrogated an activist for
allegedly criticizing the armed forces on social media. The FIA also
obtained a two-day physical remand of the activist who was booked
under sections 20 and 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act
(harming the reputation of a person and cyber stalking), and sections
419 and 500 of the Pakistan Penal Code (impersonation and defamation).
Freedom of expression is gravely endangered at present, with
Pakistan’s Cyber Crime Wing of the FIA ordered by the Interior
Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, to take immediate action against
any person or group involved in dishonoring or maligning the Pakistan
Army on social media. As a result, more than 200 activists were taken
into custody in recent times. While most have been released, their
laptops and cell phones were confiscated for some days, and all the
data was erased.
The AHRC apprehends that this is a dangerous trend and must be halted
immediately; otherwise, the anarchy that may follow will not be
contained. Criticizing the state or the armed forces is not tantamount
to an attack on state sovereignty and should not be construed as such.
The AHRC demands that the perpetrator of violence against the bloggers
be brought to books and given exemplary punishment to bring the trend
of violence against the bloggers and social media activists to an end.
# # #
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) works towards the radical
rethinking and fundamental redesigning of justice institutions in
order to protect and promote human rights in Asia. Established in
1984, the Hong Kong based organisation is a Laureate of the Right
Livelihood Award, 2014.
Read this Statement online
No comments:
Post a Comment