Pakistan authorities wants Facebook founder charged with blasphemy
FACEBOOK founder Mark Zuckerberg is being investigated by Pakistani police under a section of the penal code that carries the death sentence for blasphemy against the “prophet” Mohammed.
According to
this report, Pakistan’s Deputy Attorney General has launched a criminal investigation against Zuckerberg and others in response to Facebook hosting a “Draw Muhammad” contest on the site late last month.
On May 19, Pakistani authorities
blocked access to Facebook over the contest, and this ban was lifted on May 31 after Facebook removed the page in Pakistan and other countries.
Asked to comment, a Facebook spokeswoman told us the company does not comment on legal matters.
Last month, according to English-language Pakistani newspaper
The News International, a Pakistani High Court judge summoned the police after lawyer Muhammad Azhar Siddique filed an application for a First Information Report (FIR), claiming that the owners of Facebook had committed a heinous and serious crime under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code. In essence, an FIR launches a criminal investigation. But so far no charges have been filed.
According to the paper, Section 295-C of the penal code reads:
Use of derogatory remark etc, in respect of the Holy Prophet, whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable for fine.
According to two reports — one at
Boxcrack.net, a kind of citizen journalism site run by Privacy International, and another at
Pro Pakistani, a Pakistani Telecom and IT news site that lifted the news from BBC Urdu — the Deputy Attorney General has indeed lodged an FIR against Zuckerberg, fellow co-founders Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, and “Andy”, the German woman who initiated the Draw Muhammad contest under a pseudonym.
According to Pro Pakistani, petitioner Muhammad Azhar Sidiqque said he’s waiting for the police to contact Interpol about making arrangements for the arrest of Facebook’s owners and “Andy”.