In a notable legal case in Pakistan, a 22-year-old student has been condemned to death by a court in Punjab Province, accused of transmitting blasphemous content through Whatsapp messages. The court adjudged that the messages, containing images and videos, were designed to incite religious outrage among Muslims.
Concurrently, a 17-year-old implicated in the same case received a life sentence. Both individuals contested the charges leveled against them. In Pakistan, blasphemy laws are stringent, with the death penalty as a potential outcome. Accusations of blasphemy have led to extrajudicial killings before cases could be formally adjudicated.
The blasphemy allegation originated in 2022 from the Federal Investigation Agency’s cybercrime division in Lahore, Punjab’s capital. Subsequently, the case was transferred to a court in Gujranwala for trial.
According to the verdict, the 22-year-old was found guilty of creating and disseminating content derogatory to Prophet Muhammad and his companions, leading to his death sentence. The younger defendant’s sentence was mitigated to life imprisonment due to his minor status, despite being accused of circulating the contentious material.
The prosecution was initiated based on a complaint regarding offensive content received from multiple mobile numbers, as per the plaintiff’s claim. Following an investigation, the Federal Investigation Agency confirmed the transmission of such material to the plaintiff’s phone.
The defense argued that the accused students were unjustly implicated in the case. The court’s decision to spare the younger student from the death penalty was influenced by his minor status.
Also learn about The US and EU’s Navigational Efforts for Gaza Relief.
