IFJ demands repeal of Pakistan's PECA law, cites threat to press freedom

Karachi [Pakistan], February 16 (ANI): The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) president, Dominique Pradalie, has demanded that the contentious Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) law be repealed in light of recent changes made by the Pakistani government, according to The News.
According to a report by Geo News, The subject was debated during the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Congress in Islamabad, where Pradalie was present, according to a post she made on X on Thursday.
She retweeted a post by a PFUJ member and wrote, "At the PFUJ congress in Islamabad, we asked for the abolition of Peca law endangering seriously the journalism in Pakistan," as quoted by Geo News.
The prison term for "intentionally disseminating false and fake information" has been lowered from seven years to three years as a result of the modifications, which try to control the spread of information. They also impose stricter sanctions for disseminating "false" information, new definitions, and regulatory agencies, Geo News reported.
Geo News report highlighted that numerous political figures, journalists, and professionals have criticized the amended Peca law, which has also been challenged in several national courts. Furthermore, the IFJ's critique of the amended Peca law coincides with ongoing nationwide journalistic protests against the contentious modifications, which they say jeopardize press freedom.
During a hunger strike camp outside Islamabad's National Press Club, PFUJ President Afzal Butt said: "We will also call an all-party conference (APC) against Peca law. The last call will be for a sit-in at Parliament with no return date" as quoted by Geo News.
In a separate hunger strike camp outside Lahore Press Club, its President Arshad Ansari said that the protest against Peca law "will continue until the end of this law". "The government is making law upon law to suppress the truth" quoted Geo News.
Geo News report revealed that the international journalism organization has previously joined other organizations representing journalists in their criticism of the Peca law and its revisions.
In its statement last month, the IFJ said, "The amendments to Pakistan's draconian PECA represent a transparent attempt to further tighten control over digital expression and internet freedom under the guise of curbing misinformation," as cited by Geo News.
"By extending government jurisdiction online, broadening censorship powers, and imposing penalties for vaguely defined offences, this legislation threatens journalists, activists, and the public's right to information" quoted Geo News.
The main international union federation of trade unions for journalists, the IFJ, had urged President Asif Ali Zardari to reject the law. (ANI)