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Junaid Hafeez, a former lecturer at Bahauddin Zakariya University Pakistan, has been in jail for over seven years on blasphemy charges. He was accused of derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad on social media.
Junaid Hafeez’s arrest was based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the police under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which carries the death penalty for blasphemy. The FIR was filed by a student who alleged that Junaid Hafeez had made blasphemous remarks on social media.
Hafeez’s case has garnered international attention, with many activists and human rights groups condemning his imprisonment. According to Amnesty International, Hafeez has been subjected to harassment and violence while in prison, and his life is in danger. He has also been denied access to medical treatment and legal representation. The case against Hafeez has been marred with irregularities and accusations of intimidation, and human rights groups have called for his release.
(Source: amnesty.org)
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The blasphemy laws in Pakistan are some of the most severe in the world, with penalties ranging from fines to the death penalty. The laws are often used to target religious minorities and political opponents, and the accusations are often based on flimsy evidence or hearsay.
Hafeez’s case is a prime example of the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan. He was accused of blasphemy by a group of students who disagreed with his liberal views and academic research. The students had previously threatened him and had even attacked him on campus. Despite this, the authorities failed to provide him with adequate protection or investigate the threats against him.
Hafeez’s case has also been marked by a lack of due process. He was held in pretrial detention for over five years before his trial began, and his trial has been repeatedly delayed. His trials have been conducted in secret, and his lawyers have been denied access to key documents and witnesses. Also, his lawyers have faced intimidation and harassment, and one of them was murdered in 2014.
Security was tightened around the jail where Junaid Hafeez, not pictured, was being sentenced.
The case against Hafeez is a clear violation of his right to freedom of expression and due process. He has been denied access to a fair trial, and his imprisonment is based on flimsy evidence and hearsay. Human rights groups have called for his immediate release, and the international community has expressed concern about his well-being.
Indeed, Junaid Hafeez’s case is not an isolated incident, and there have been several other instances of people being accused of blasphemy in Pakistan. According to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, there were 80 people imprisoned on blasphemy charges in Pakistan in 2020, and at least four people were sentenced to death.
The accusations of blasphemy have also led to mob violence and lynching in Pakistan. In 2017, a student named Mashal Khan was lynched by a mob on his university campus after being accused of blasphemy. In 2018, a Christian woman named Asia Bibi was acquitted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan after spending eight years on death row for blasphemy charges. In December 2021 a Sri Lankan manager Pryantha Kumara was lynched by a violent mob, stripped off and set on fire in day broad light on alleged charges of ripping a paper that was meant to be sacred.
VIDEO SOURCE: https://youtu.be/XMMwjCfgtqI
In conclusion, Junaid Hafeez’s case is a stark reminder of the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan. His imprisonment is a violation of his basic human rights, and he has been subjected to harassment, violence, and intimidation. The international community must continue to speak out against his imprisonment and call for his release. It is time for Pakistan to reform its blasphemy laws and ensure that they are not used to target religious minorities and political opponents.
Author: FREETHINKER
Country of residence: Pakistan
