HRW: Pakistan’s Cyber Law Amendment Threatens Free Expression

Human Rights Watch has condemned the recent amendment to Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, enacted on January 29, 2025, as a significant threat to internet freedom and free expression, the organizations website reported. The new law criminalizes the dissemination of “fake or false” information, punishable by up to three years in prison, but lacks a clear definition of what constitutes such information.

The amendment creates four new government bodies to regulate online content, allowing them to block and remove material based on vague criteria. Critics, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, warn that the law could be used to target journalists, political workers, and dissenters.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists has organized nationwide protests against the amendment, asserting it infringes on citizens’ rights. Human Rights Watch urges immediate repeal or reform of the law to uphold fundamental human rights and protect free expression.