ICC Note:

Yesterday, Pakistan was only considering censoring social media. Today, Pakistan’s Prime Minister ordered all content that is considered blasphemous to Islam be removed from social media. In addition to the removal of ‘blasphemous’ content, Prime Minister Sharif also called for those responsible for the posts be prosecuted. Online blasphemy accusations have already affected Christians and such an order from the Prime Minister only exacerbates the danger faced by Christians.

3/14/2017 Pakistan (Al Jazeera) – Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ordered the immediate removal and blocking of all online content deemed to be “blasphemous” to Islam from social media – and for those responsible to be prosecuted.

Tuesday’s order came in the wake of ongoing hearings at the Islamabad High Court in a case seeking the blocking of all Internet content deemed to be “blasphemous”.

“The [posting of] blasphemous content on social media is an unclean attempt to play with the feelings of the Muslim Ummah [community],” Sharif said in a statement.

“Effective steps must be taken immediately to remove and block this material.”

Pakistan’s telecommunications regulator currently blocks hundreds of websites, including those run by ethnic Baloch dissidents, as well as sites containing pornography or material deemed to be blasphemous.

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