(RSF/IFEX) – On 4 October 2002, RSF expressed alarm over a new law that would send journalists to prison for “ridicule, unjust criticism, dislike, contempt or hatred” in their writings. The organisation called for the law to be urgently amended. “This is a serious threat hanging over the heads of independent and opposition journalists,” said […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 4 October 2002, RSF expressed alarm over a new law that would send journalists to prison for “ridicule, unjust criticism, dislike, contempt or hatred” in their writings. The organisation called for the law to be urgently amended.
“This is a serious threat hanging over the heads of independent and opposition journalists,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard in a letter to Information Minister Nisar A. Memon. “Every country needs laws that punish incitement to hatred and violence, but this one is so general that it will protect all kinds of abuses.”
“We are very disappointed that the government has ignored the comments of international and Pakistani journalists’ organisations,” Ménard said. “Coming a week before parliamentary elections, it is a new obstacle to balanced and impartial coverage of the final days of the campaign and the vote-counting.” He called on the minister to see to it that the imprisonment clauses are eliminated from the law and to ensure that all political parties get a fair share of air time on state-owned media.
The new law, which came into force on 1 October under the country’s military government, increases penalties for “defamation”, with up to three months’ imprisonment, fines of close to 50,000 rupees (approx. US$845; 850 euro) and an obligation to publish an apology.
The law punishes the “publication or circulation of a false statement or representation made orally or in written or visual form which injures the reputation of a person.” Individuals will have two months following publication to file a complaint before a district judge. Defence rights will apply and verdicts can be appealed to the High Court.
The controversial measure was enacted despite warnings from media owners and journalists. Hameed Haroon, president of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, said the authorities “clearly intend to end press freedom [through these] unacceptable laws.”
In June, Rauf Klasra, a journalist from the Islamabad-based newspaper “The News”, was placed under police surveillance and harassed for revealing that the new law was being prepared.
