In Pakistan, a 22-year-old student has been sentenced to death for sharing blasphemous content on WhatsApp. The court in Punjab Province found him guilty of distributing pictures and videos that offended Muslims. Alongside him, a 17-year-old received a life sentence for the same offense. Both deny any wrongdoing.

Blasphemy is a serious offense in Pakistan, punishable by death. Some accused individuals face violence even before their trials begin. The case originated from a complaint filed by the cybercrime unit in Lahore in 2022. It was then transferred to a local court in Gujranwala.

In the recent ruling, judges stated the 22-year-old prepared photos and videos containing disrespectful language about Prophet Muhammad and his wives, leading to his death sentence. The younger defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment for sharing the offensive material.

The plaintiff claimed to have received the content from three different phone numbers. The Federal Investigation Agency confirmed the presence of obscene material on the plaintiff’s phone.

Defense lawyers argued that the students were falsely accused. The father of the condemned student plans to appeal the decision.

The other student received a life sentence instead of the death penalty due to being a minor, as ruled by the court.

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, rooted in British colonial history, have faced criticism for their severity. In August of the previous year, violence erupted in Jaranwala after accusations against two Christian men led to the burning of numerous churches and homes.

Last modified: March 10, 2024