Journalists protested the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act (PECA) for the second day in a row in response to a call from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Thursday.
The News International (TNI) reported that journalists have filed numerous cases against the law in both the High Court and the Supreme Court, claiming it is an attack on media freedom. "The PECA is unconstitutional and illegal, hence, the court should conduct a judicial review on it," the plea lodged by the PFUJ at the Islamabad High Court states as quoted by The News International. The News International outlined that journalists nationwide have staged rallies and symbolic hunger strike camps in opposition to the controversial PECA law, drawing attention to the government's attempts to restrict free speech. The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) staged a symbolic hunger strike outside the Quetta Press Club to protest the recently passed law, TNI reported. "We will not accept the controversial Peca law at any cost. We will not let any attempt to curb freedom of expression succeed," the BUJ said as quoted by TNI. TNI reported, on a nationwide protest appeal by the PFUJ, the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) set up a hunger strike camp in the Karachi Press Club, and it has already entered its second day. TNI highlighted that during the first two days of the three-day hunger strike camp, representatives of human rights organizations, attorneys, and civil society were among the people from a variety of backgrounds who attended, according to the KUJ. It stated that the hunger strike camp would keep raising its voice every day between 11 AM and 5 PM. According to the KUJ, during the first two days of the three-day hunger strike camp, representatives of human rights organizations, attorneys, and civil society were among the persons who attended, representing a variety of backgrounds. The hunger strike camp stated that it would keep raising its voice every day between 11 AM and 5 PM. The Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) Talagang-Chakwal Unit also staged protest rallies and a hunger strike camp in response to PFUJ's call for protest. In opposition to the PECA, protesters chanted slogans, revealed a TNI report. (ANI)
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