Islamabad: Amnesty International has slammed the recent The Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025, passed in Pakistan, and has called on the Pakistani authorities for immediately repealing the amendment, and ensuring the right to freedom of expression is upheld in the country.
Claiming that the act was "hastily passed", the Amnesty International said that the latest amendment, aiming at criminalizing 'fake and false news' is based on "vague and overbroad provisions" which threatens freedom of expression.
Responding to the PECA Act 2025, Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director of Campaigns, South Asia, had earlier said that the vague and ambiguous framing of some elements of the offence raises concerns that it can supress "what little is left of the right to online expression" in Pakistan.
"The amendment introduces a criminal offence against those perpetrating so-called 'false and fake information' and imposes a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment with a fine. The vague and ambiguous framing of some elements of the offense together with a history of the PECA being used to silence dissent raises concerns that this new offence will chill what little is left of the right to online expression in the country," the statement read. (ANI)
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