A court in Faisalabad has sentenced a social media activist, Sikander Zaman, to three-year imprisonment and imposed a heavy fine on him for criticising Pakistan Army.
The social media activist has 184 followers on Twitter and his handle is rife with posts related to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Sikander Zaman @imsikanderzaman is sentenced to three years imprisonment and huge fine for having criticized #Pakarmy/ institutions on Twitter leading to create panic and defamation of state institutions. He has 184 followers. pic.twitter.com/s9PVMnJJpA
— Pak Lawyers Forum (@PLF_Officials) February 14, 2023
Cabinet members are mulling over a law seeking 5-year imprisonment instead of three-year for “ridiculing and scandalising the state institutions”.
According to the bill, titled Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2023, whoever makes, publishes, circulates any statement or disseminates information, through any medium, with an intention to ridicule or scandalise the judiciary, the armed forces or any of their member will be guilty of an offence punishable with imprisonment of up to five years or with a fine which may extend to Rs1 million or with both.
The legislation also proposes that the offender be arrested without a warrant and calls for the offence to be non-bailable and non-compoundable which could only be challenged in a sessions court.
The proposed amendments have come under harsh criticism from human rights activists, as well as lawmakers.
