A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced in absentia eight journalists and social media commentators to life imprisonment following their conviction of terrorism-related offences. These charges are linked to online activity in support of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. One convicted journalist, who lives in New York, said that he was never notified of any proceedings.
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On January 19, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement entitled “Harassed at home, convicted abroad: Pakistan steps up prosecution of overseas journalists”:
Pakistan’s government has stepped up the use of in absentia convictions and arrest warrants against Pakistani journalists living overseas since late 2025, highlighting an escalating crackdown by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government on critical reporting and commentary that extends beyond domestic
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