𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐨𝐲'𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 𝟖𝟎𝟎 𝐔𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬, 𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟑 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝

 

A 22-year-old student in Pakistan has been handed a death sentence for blasphemy related to WhatsApp messages, as reported by the BBC on Friday. The Pakistani court found that the student had created 'blasphemous' images and videos on the messaging app containing derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad and his wives, with the intention to offend the religious sentiments of Muslims.

Another student, aged 17, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for sharing the same 'blasphemous' content, being spared the death penalty due to being a minor.

The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) cybercrime unit in Lahore filed a complaint in 2022 regarding the students' messages, citing the discovery of "obscene material" on their phones.

Both students have denied the allegations, claiming they have been unjustly framed in a false case, according to BBC reports.

Meanwhile, the father of the 22-year-old student has lodged an appeal in the Lahore High Court against the lower court's verdict, as per BBC sources.

Blasphemy, defined as disrespectful speech or action towards God, is a highly sensitive issue in Pakistan, where individuals accused of insulting Islam or its figures can face capital punishment. Some accused have even been lynched prior to their trials.

In August of the previous year, a mob in eastern Pakistan set several churches ablaze after a Christian family was accused of blasphemy. The incident was sparked by allegations from religious extremists who claimed the family had desecrated the Quran. Social media images from the time showed smoke billowing from the church structures and individuals setting fire to furniture.