• Gives detailed account of deteriorating state of freedom of expression since Imran Khan’s ouster in 2022
• Censorship, reprisals against journalists still main challenges, but digital media offers glimmer of hope
LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Thursday released its report on the state of freedom of expression in the country during the past two years, identifying “new battlegrounds and unholy alliances”, with the tightening of restrictions on selected media outlets.
Researched and authored by journalist Mahim Maher, the report provides a detailed account of the deteriorating state of freedom of expression since the vote of no confidence against former prime minister Imran Khan in April 2022.
The HRCP report identifies new battlegrounds and unholy alliances — with tightening restrictions on some sections of the media and carte blanche for others.
The noose has undoubtedly tightened — from the assassination of one journalist and the enforced disappearance of others, to cold, calculated ‘press advice’ and a flurry of legal changes seemingly designed to control digital freedoms, the report notes.
Yet even as the state ratchets up levels of censorship, new spaces for expression continue to emerge in the digital sphere, it says. At the same time, the loss of trust in legacy media has been exploited by big business, the far right and the establishment.
The report says the most important consequence of censorship has been a growing national conversation on the issue itself — a testament to the enduring desire of the people of the country to speak freely.
Titled Harsh Sentences, the report paints a grim picture of a nation where freedom of speech has been stifled by a combination of legal, institutional, and covert pressures.
The ousting of Imran Khan marked the beginning of heightened crackdowns on dissent, characterised by mass arrests, enforced disappearances, and targeted censorship. These actions have created an environment where fear and suppression dominate the media landscape, it notes.
