Amnesty International decries ‘intensifying’ crackdown on freedom of expression in Pakistan

KARACHI: Amnesty International has criticized what it claims is an “intensifying” crackdown on freedom of expression in Pakistan, according to an annual report of the London-based human rights group released on Thursday.

The report has also condemned the use of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 to “intimidate, harass and arbitrarily detain human rights defenders for online comments.”

However, the assessment praises Pakistan for getting elected to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in October last year, and for passing “historic” legislation recognizing the people of the “third gender” on national identity cards.