A latest amendment to Pakistan’s draconian cyber crime law, Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act {PECA}, has the country’s journalists concerned, fearing it may curtail media freedom and any criticism of the government can be treated as a crime.
The latest amendment to Pakistan’s draconian cybercrime law, Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PEC) has the country’s journalists concerned that it may curtail media freedom and any criticism of the government can be treated as a crime.
Pakistan President Arif Alvi on Sunday signed the Electronic Crime Prevention Ordinance, 2022, which includes four amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.
The Imran Khan government has claimed that the ordinance will help curb fake news on social media.
Let’s take a look at the law and why journalists and Opposition parties are calling it oppressive:
What is the ordinance?
As per The Print, the Electronic Crime Prevention Ordinance, 2022, which includes four amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and a whole new section that brings fake news or ridiculing any person on television under the category of electronic crime.
Under the amendment, anyone, person or organisation, found guilty of spreading fake news will be jailed for three to five years.
The offence will now be non-bailable.
The News International said that anyone found guilty of attacking a person’s “identity” will now be sentenced to five years instead of three years.
The matter is to be decided within...
Read Full Story: https://www.firstpost.com/world/why-electronic-crime-prevention-ordinance-has-pakistan-journalists-fuming-and-opposition-outraged-10399201.html
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