Amnesty International, HRW ask Pakistan to repeal PECA Ordinance

On Feb 18, the Pakistan government passed an ordinance amending PECA to make online “defamation” of authorities a criminal offence with harsh penalties.

“PECA has been used to silence freedom of expression on the pretext of combating 'fake news,' cyber crime, and misinformation,” Nadia Rahman, acting Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.

“This amendment not only violates the Pakistan Constitution, but also puts anyone who questions the government or other state institutions at further risk. It particularly endangers journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents who run the risk of prosecution for merely doing their jobs.”

The statement said that the amendment makes defamation a non-bailable offence, and increases the maximum prison term, if convicted, from three to five years.

It also expands the definition of those who can initiate criminal proceedings for defamation, allowing any person or institution to register the complaint.

On February 23, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) restrained the Federal Investigative Agency from making any arrests under the ordinance, reported The Tribune.

"While this offers temporary relief, it is not enough to mitigate the grave impact that the amendment will have on Pakistan's already imperilled freedom of expression by potentially putting anyone at risk of criminal charges for expressing their views online," HRW and Amnesty said.

(With UNI inputs)