New York [US], February 27 (ANI): Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Pakistani authorities to quash the decades-long blasphemy conviction of academic Junaid Hafeez, who has been detained for 13 years under Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws amid serious due process and human rights concerns.
Hafeez, then in his 20s, was arrested on March 13, 2013, in Punjab province for allegedly posting blasphemous comments on Facebook. In December 2019, a Multan court sentenced him to death after a trial that was repeatedly delayed over several years and held inside a high-security prison because of fears of mob violence. His appeal remains pending, and he has been in solitary confinement since June 2014.
“Junaid Hafeez’s case is emblematic of the unjust and abusive nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities should quash Hafeez’s conviction and safely release him and others held under the blasphemy laws.”
Under Pakistan’s penal code, section 295-C and related provisions effectively mandate the death sentence. While no recent executions have been reported, several people remain on death row and dozens serve life sentences. Hundreds have faced blasphemy charges over the past three decades, HRW noted.
Human Rights Watch highlighted prolonged trial delays, extended solitary confinement, and lack of access to legal representation as constituting cruel and inhuman treatment. In 2014, Hafeez’s defence lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was fatally shot after receiving threats for representing him.
The group said the laws are often misused to target religious minorities, settle personal scores, extort, or punish social media activity. Authorities rarely hold perpetrators of mob violence accountable, while those accused face prolonged pretrial detention, unfair trials, and harsh sentences.
In October 2025, the Pakistani government announced plans to introduce procedural safeguards to the blasphemy laws. HRW said implementing those safeguards and safely releasing detainees like Hafeez would signal serious intent to reform.
“In recent months, the government has made progress in addressing some of the injustices of the country’s blasphemy laws,” Pearson added. “Hafeez’s case is an opportunity to demonstrate real intent and seriousness toward reform.” (ANI)
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