A statement signed by nearly 30 civil society groups highlights the adverse impact of growing digital censorship in the country.
This statement was originally published on digitalrightsmonitor.pk on 13 March 2024.
Civil society organisations and rights activists have released a joint statement expressing concern over continuing disruption of X (formerly Twitter) and arbitrary targeting of other digital media platforms in Pakistan.
The statement, which is available with Digital Rights Monitor (DRM), has been signed by over 60 CSOs, rights advocates, and journalists, and highlights the adverse impact of growing digital censorship in the country. It calls on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to issue clarification regarding the prolonged disruption of X, which has been facing an unexplained intermittent ban since February 17, 2024. Signatories include Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD), Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), and Access Now.
Citing the frequent internet shutdowns and blocking of social media platforms in the weeks leading up to the February 8 general elections, CSOs and rights activists say that such actions silence diverse political voices and contribute to the spread of misinformation.
“These actions not only infringe upon the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and access to information but also set a troubling precedent of throttling genuine political discourse in the country,” the statement reads.
The suppression of social media platforms undermines Pakistan’s international law commitments, the statement adds, stressing the significance of free flow of information for an “informed society and fair electoral processes”.
The statement calls the lack of response on X’s disruption from the PTA “extremely alarming”.
“The absence of transparency in the decision-making processes surrounding network shutdowns and platform blocking and complete disregard for any accountability has resulted in an obvious erosion of trust between the state and its citizens,” it says.
It also expresses disappointment over reports of blocking of VPNs (virtual private networks), which undermines people’s right to access to information and privacy online.
The CSOs and rights activists have urged the government and public entities to repeal Section 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 — commonly known as PECA — as such pieces of legislation enable digital censorship and violate Article 19 (Freedom of Speech and Right to information) of the Constitution of Pakistan.
They have called on the government to abide by Pakistan’s commitments to uphold freedom of expression and the right to access to information under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
“We urge the incoming government, regulators and other public bodies to recognise that any action that affects the flow of information and limits citizens’ ability to express themselves, has a direct and lingering impact on citizens’ human rights including the right to political participation,” the statement says.
List of Signatories (as of March 18, 2024)
Organisations
- AGHS
- Bolo Bhi
- Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD)
- Digital Rights Foundation (DRF)
- Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA)
- Human Rights Watch (HRW)
- Freedom Network (FN)
- Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
- Bytes for All
- Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
- Women Democratic Front
- Access Now
- Awami Workers Party Islamabad/Rawalpindi
- Aurat March Lahore
- Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP)
- Alliance for Diversity and Pluralism in Media in Pakistan
- Pakistan Digital Editors Alliance (PDEA)
- Pakistan Digital Media Association
- Progressive Students Federation
- Aurat March Islamabad
- Joint Action Committee for Refugees ( JAC-R)
- Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum
- Aurat March Karachi
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
- Zuka Books
- Amnesty International
- Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
- Pakistan Bar Council
Individuals
- Muhammad Aftab Alam, Advocate
- Iqbal Khattak, veteran journalist
- Adnan Rehmat, media analyst
- Shafique Chaudhry, Executive Director, Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR)
- Haroon Baloch, Media & Digital Rights Expert
- Usama Khilji, Bolo Bhi
- Zoya Rehman, Women Democratic Front
- Abdullah Nizamani, Lawyer
- Zohra Yusuf, Council member HRCP
- Salima Hashmi, Council member HRCP
- Imdad Khoso, Journalist & Council member HRCP
- Ammar Rashid, Awami Workers Party
- Zeeshan Ahmed, Awami Workers Party
- Amber Rahim Shamsi, Journalist & Director CEJ
- Munizae Jahangir, Co Chair HRCP & Founder voicepk.net
- Ms Afia Salam, veteran journalist
- Ramsha Jahangir, Journalist
- Najma Maheshwari, Hindu activist
- Jehan Ara, Founder & CEO Katalyst Labs
- Uzair Younus, Economic Analyst
- Hamid Mir, Journalist
- Asma Shirazi, Journalist
- Aun Ahmed, Progressive Students Federation
- Maria Memon, Journalist
- Absa Komal, Journalist
- Atiqa Shahid, Gender researcher
- Raza Mahmood Khan, Peace activist
- Azeem Ullah Minhas, HRCP activist
- Saleem Malik, HRCP activist
- Jawziya Zaman, Writer & Editor
- Hija Kamran, Digital Rights Specialist
- Nida Tanweer, HR activists.
- Usman Zafar, journalist and researcher
- Moniza Kakar , Lawyer & HRD
- Asfandyar Farrukh, MD Urban Brands
- Arifa Noor, Dawn News
- Areeba Fatima, Journalist & Socialist-Feminist
- Samar Abbas, Lawyer
- Mahim Maher, journalist
- Rahim Sajwani, video editor
- Zia Ur Rehman, journalist and researcher
- Taqi Shaheen, Artist
- Naila Raheem, HRCP
- Aliya Syed, HRCP
- Mehr F Husain, editor and publisher
- Sophia Hasnain
- Abid Saqi, Senior Lawyer & Former Vice Chairperson Pakistan Bar Council
- Mubariz Ahmed Siddiqui, lawyer
- Aly Fahd, Paklaunch
- Taimur Malik, Paklaunch
