Junaid Hafeez, a former university lecturer and Fullbright scholar was thrown in prison 13 years ago under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws for comments he allegedly made on Facebook.
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he → throw → Facebook
After a trial that spanned years, a court in 2019 sentenced him to death.
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court → span → death
Last week, a high court in Lahore began hearing Hafeez's appeal, raising hopes his conviction could be overturned.
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conviction → begin → hopes
"I want to see my son free and back home.
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son → want → ?
We are fighting a very difficult battle," Junaid Hafeez's father, Hafeez-un-Naseer, told DW.
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father → fight → DW
Naseer said he met with his son in prison last Thursday through a glass window, speaking to him by phone.
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he → say → phone
"This case has taken everything from us," he said.
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he → take → us
Saif-ul-Malook, a lawyer representing Hafeez, said the academic has read thousands of books during his years in prison.
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academic → represent → prison
His health is fine, but he is frustrated inside the jail," Malook told DW.
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Malook → frustrate → DW
"I am hopeful that under this bench, he will be released.
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he → release → bench
Before his arrest, Hafeez was a Fulbright scholar and had studied in the United States.
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Hafeez → study → States
He later returned to Pakistan and began working as a lecturer in English literature at Bahauddin Zakariya University in the city of Multan.
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He → return → Multan
Human rights groups say that shortly after he began working there as a graduate student in 2011, he found himself targeted by an Islamist student group who took issue with what they considered Hafeez's "liberal" teaching.
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Hafeez → say → issue
Hafeez was arrested on March 13, 2013, accused of using a fake Facebook profile to insult the Prophet Muhammad in a closed group called "So-Called Liberals of Pakistan."
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Hafeez → arrest → Pakistan
His father has said he was set up by the Islamists on campus, who wanted to get one of their own into an open position at the university.
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who → say → university
His trial began in 2014.
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trial → begin → 2014
Because of security concerns, legal proceedings were later moved to Multan Central Jail, and were repeatedly delayed until he was sentenced to death by a trial court in Multan.
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he → move → Multan
Hafeez challenged the verdict in 2020, and his appeal has yet to be decided.
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appeal → challenge → 2020
The Lahore High Court heard Hafeez's appeal on September 22 before a two-member bench.
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Court → hear → bench
The judges issued notices to the prosecution and the complainant and asked for arguments on the electronic evidence being relied upon in the case.
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judges → issue → case
This includes Facebook material attributed to Hafeez.
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This → include → Hafeez
"Lahore High Court judges have generally been reluctant to hear blasphemy appeals.
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judges → hear → appeals
Let's see how he approaches the case.
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he → let → case
In my experience, there is prejudice against the accused at every stage," Malook said.
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Malook → be → stage
Pakistan's blasphemy laws in focus
Hafiz Ehtisham Ahmed, an Islamabad-based Islamic activist, told DW he thinks the court should uphold the blasphemy conviction, arguing abolishing the laws could "encourage disrespect for religion."
"There is international pressure on Pakistan to change these laws.
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abolishing → base → laws
If Hafeez is acquitted, it would raise serious questions about the justice system," Ahmed said.
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Ahmed → acquit → system
Strict blasphemy laws in Muslim-majority Pakistan have been widely condemned internationally for their arbitrary applicaiton and the potential for abuse of power.
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laws → condemn → power
Pakistani policy analyst Raza Rumi said that judges are under intense pressure when handling blasphemy cases.
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judges → say → cases
"Acquittals or even procedural decisions can trigger threats and public backlash, contributing to delays and caution in handling such cases," Rumi told DW.
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Rumi → trigger → DW
"Human rights groups have documented threats against judges, lawyers, and prosecutors in blasphemy cases.
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groups → document → cases
Concerns over their safety can affect both the pace of proceedings and judicial independence," Rumi added.
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Rumi → affect → proceedings
At least seven judges were transferred during the trial.
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judges → transfer → trial
Hafeez's first lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was shot dead in his Multan office in May 2014.
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lawyer → shoot → May
He had reportedly received threats in connection with the case.
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He → receive → case
Hafeez can still be released if the Lahore High Court overturns his conviction.
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Court → release → conviction
But that will depend on the judges' assessment of the evidence and the arguments made during the appeal.
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that → depend → appeal
A death sentence imposed by a trial court does not become final without scrutiny by the high court.
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sentence → impose → court
For Hafeez, the question now is how quickly the Lahore High Court can hear and decide his appeal after years of delays.
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Court → hear → delays
The next hearing is due on October 10, but it is unclear how long it will take the court to decide.
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court → take → October
"We wish that one night we could go to sleep and wake up to find our son free and back home," said father Naseer.
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Naseer → wish → sleep
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
