Gujranwala court sentences student to death for blasphemy over WhatsApp messages

A local court in Gujranwala sentenced a 22-year-old student to death for sharing blasphemous content on WhatsApp, it emerged on Saturday. 

Another 17-year-old is currently facing life imprisonment in the same case. 

According to BBC, the court declared that the convict shared the offensive religious material with the intention to hurt the sentiments of Muslims. 

In 2022, the cybercrime unit of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed a complaint in Lahore. The case was then transferred to a local court in Gujranwala, where both young defendants denied the charges.

The verdict announced this week, sentenced a 22-year-old to death for creating blasphemous content, while a 17-year-old, still a minor under the law, received a life sentence for sharing it.

Defense lawyers argued for the dismissal of the case, contending that the accused were facing an unjust punishment based on false accusations.

The FIA said it found evidence of 'obscene material' after a complainant reported receiving offensive messages from three different phone numbers.

The father of the young man on death row, whose name remains undisclosed, informed BBC that he was going to challenge the verdict in the Lahore High Court.