Thread by @ImaanZHazir

Thread re the malicious & baseless campaign ongoing against me for representing @AsadAToor:

i) Shiffa Yousafzai is using the same criminal defamation provision in PECA that Ali Zafar used/is using against Meesha Shafi & the #MeToo7. 1/9

ii) This is not a harassment case. It is a criminal defamation complaint under PECA. On 22 Jan this year, 3 UN Special Procedures mandate holders sent an Allegation Letter to the State of Pakistan (AL PAK 2/2021) regarding "a series of alleged meritless charges brought ag/ a 2/9

number of independent journalists & human rights defenders, which appears to show an alarming pattern of restrictions to the right to freedom of expression of journalists in Pakistan."

Of the 11 cases flagged in this AL, 9 related to illegal conduct on the part of the FIA 3/9

The AL further stated: "We are particularly concerned at the use of meritless lawsuits against journalists and human rights defenders which appears to be aimed at curtailing publication of information, particularly when such information may be deemed to be critical 4/9

of public officials and in the public interest. Such vexatious judicial proceedings also called strategic litigation ag/ public participation (SLAPP), which are based on civil or criminal defamation claims, do not seem to pursue another aim than censoring, intimidating 5/9

& silencing critics through significant financial costs of mounting a legal defense, which poses a direct threat to freedom of expression."
The problem w/ criminal defamation laws is being discussed & addressed world over. Investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia, 6/9

in Malta, had over 40 civil and criminal defamation suits pending against her when she was murdered.

Sri Lanka, Argentina, Mexico, El Salvador, the UK, Ireland, Malta, Romania, Montenegro, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Lesotho & others have all either: i) decriminalized defamation; 7/9

or ii) had it struck down by the courts. Even in countries that have not done so, there must be safeguards in place to prevent abuse of this provision, which is clearly rampant.

In fact, in Asad's case, he has received, since last year, 4 different notices from the FIA 8/9

in 3 different cases u/s 20, PECA.

The situation is absurd & has been ongoing since 2017.

Disinformation in cases like this is common. People like you & I cannot possibly counter such large scale disinfo campaigns. Regardless, important to try to set the record straight. 9/9