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Student in Pakistan handed death sentence over WhatsApp messages
According to a court in Pakistan, the 22-year-old student who was sentenced to death over WhatsApp messages created materials containing derogatory words.
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A student from Pakistan has been sentenced to death by a court in Punjab Province. As per reports, the court said that the 22-year-old was given the sentence for sharing blasphemous pictures and videos over WhatsApp. In the same case, a 17-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment.
A complaint against the students was filed by the cybercrime unit of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in 2022, reported the BBC. The case was filed in the capital of Punjab, Lahore. Later, the case was referred to the local court in Gujranwala.
In Pakistan, blasphemy is punishable by death. There have been incidents where people have reportedly lynched others accused of this crime, even before their cases were taken to trial.
Also Read: Christian youth sentenced to death for sharing ‘blasphemous’ content through WhatsApp in Pakistan
What did the court ruling say?
As per the BBC, the judges said that the 22-year-old student created videos and photos containing derogatory words about Prophet Muhammad and his wives. The plaintiff claimed that he had received the materials. The younger student was sentenced for sharing the materials.
The father of the student given the death sentence told the BBC that he would appeal to the Lahore High Court against the ruling. The defence lawyers argued that the students were "trapped in a false case".
