According to a report from BBC, a court in Gujranwala has handed down a severe verdict in a blāsph_emy case involving WhatsApp messages. In this case, a 22-year-old student has been sentenced to deã*th, while a 17-year-old has received a life sentence.
The court’s ruling was based on the accusation that the 22-year-old student shared images and videos deemed blāsph_emòus with the intention of provoking religious sentiments among Muslims. Similarly, the younger defendant was convicted of sharing such material.
Both individuals have consistently maintained their innocence throughout the legal proceedings. The case initially surfaced in 2022 when the cybercrime unit of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Lahore received a complaint regarding the matter. Subsequently, the case was transferred to a local court in Gujranwala for further investigation and trial.
In its recent judgment, the court specified that the 22-year-old was sentenced to death for allegedly creating and disseminating blāsph_emòus content. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old was given a life sentence for his involvement in sharing the material. The plaintiff claimed to have received the offensive content from three different mobile phone numbers.
The FIA conducted an examination of the plaintiff’s phone and confirmed the presence of objectionable material that had been forwarded to him. However, the defense lawyers representing the accused argued that the case was fabricated and lacked substantial evidence.
Following the verdict, the father of the 22-year-old student, whose identity remains undisclosed, expressed his intention to appeal the decision in the Lahore High Court. It is important to note that the court decided to impose a life sentence on the younger defendant instead of the deã*th, penalty, taking into consideration his status as a minor.
This case underscores the sensitivity and severity surrounding blāsph_emy allegations in Pakistan, which have garnered significant attention both domestically and internationally due to their contentious nature and potential repercussions.
