The Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA) filed a request before the High Court of Islamabad, contesting the recent government amendments to the controversial law on the prevention of electronic crimes (PECA).
The petition argued that changes constitute an “attack on press freedom” and requires legal examination. The petitioner’s lawyer also asked the court to form a wider bench to hear the case.
The IHCJA petition argued that Peca’s amendments violate articles 19 and 19a of the Constitution, which protect freedom of expression and information. He also said that the law grants excessive censorship powers to the government, arousing digital rights.
In addition, the petition argued that the regulatory authority created under PECA has no constitutional legitimacy.
The IHC chief judge, Sarfaraz Dogar, ordered that the case be linked to other petitions in progress before judge Inam Amin Minhas, who will decide on the request of a larger bench. The acting chief judge also requested the calendar of the case, which was postponed for two weeks.
The modified law, which has received the assent of the president Asif Ali Zardari, includes new definitions, the creation of regulatory organizations and more strict sanctions for the dissemination of “false” information.
The changes reduce punishment for propagating false news online at three years in prison and impose fines of up to 2 million rupees. He also proposed the creation of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and a social media protection court.
The modifications allow individuals who feel injured by false information to approach authority for the withdrawal or blocking of this content, with orders to be issued within 24 hours.
In addition, the law allows the authority to demand social media platforms to register with it and establish a council for social media complaints to manage complaints.
The changes also propose the creation of social media protection courts to resolve business within 90 days, with authorized calls for the Supreme Court within 60 days.
