Pakistani Journalists Sentenced in Absentia Amid Online Crackdown

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced eight journalists and social media commentators to life imprisonment in absentia. The convictions relate to online support for former prime minister Imran Khan following his arrest. Critics, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, view this as censorship and retaliation against critical reporting.

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced eight journalists and social media commentators to life imprisonment in absentia on Friday. The court found them guilty of terrorism-related offences linked to online activities supporting jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.

The convictions arose from cases filed after violent protests on May 9, 2023, when Khan's supporters attacked military installations following his arrest. The government and military have intensified efforts against Khan's party and dissenting voices, leveraging anti-terrorism laws and military trials to prosecute hundreds for incitement and alleged attacks on state institutions. The court deemed the actions of the accused as terrorism under Pakistani law, stating their online content incited fear and unrest.

Most convicts are believed to reside outside Pakistan and were not present for the trial, as per court documents. The convicted include ex-army officers-turned-YouTubers Adil Raja and Syed Akbar Hussain, along with journalists Wajahat Saeed Khan, Sabir Shakir, Shaheen Sehbai, commentator Haider Raza Mehdi, and analyst Moeed Pirzada. Efforts to reach the journalists or their lawyers for comments were unsuccessful. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the investigations as a retaliatory crackdown on media criticism and called for their immediate cessation.