Junaid Hafeez, a Fulbright researcher and former university lecturer, was imprisoned 13 years ago under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws. He was sentenced to death for allegedly making statements on Facebook. In 2019, a court issued his death sentence.
Hope for Appeal
Last week, the Lahore High Court heard the appeal in Hafeez's case, raising hopes for the overturning of his conviction. Junaid's father, Hafeez-ul-Naseer, expressed hope that his son would be released soon, stating, "We are fighting a very difficult battle."
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Hafeez's Condition in Prison
Saif-ul-Malook, Hafeez's lawyer, stated that he has read thousands of books during his years in prison. According to him, Hafeez is in good health but feels hopeless in prison. Malook expressed hope for the future, saying, "I hope that under this judicial panel, he will be released."
Before his arrest, Hafeez studied as a Fulbright researcher in the United States and returned to Pakistan to teach English literature at Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan. Since 2011, he has been targeted by an Islamic student group for his views.
Hafeez was arrested on March 13, 2013, for allegedly using a fake Facebook profile to insult the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). His father believes he has fallen victim to a political trap set by Islamists at the university.
His trial began in 2014 and was moved to Multan Central Jail due to security issues. Ultimately, he was sentenced to death, but in 2020 he appealed this sentence, and his case is still under review.
The Lahore High Court addressed Hafeez's appeal on September 22 and issued notices to the parties involved to present arguments regarding the electronic evidence related to the case. This evidence includes Facebook posts attributed to Hafeez.
A series of social pressures and threats against judges, lawyers, and prosecutors in blasphemy cases may affect judicial proceedings. At least seven judges have been replaced during the trial, and Hafeez's first lawyer, Rashid Rahman, was murdered in his office in 2014.
Currently, the Lahore High Court is expected to hold the next session on October 10, but it is unclear how long it will take for the court to reach a conclusion. Hafeez's father expressed hope that one day they would see their son freed, stating, "Thirteen years have been taken from our family, but we have never lost hope."
Human rights organizations have called for the overturning of Hafeez's blasphemy conviction, believing he has been held in isolation since June 2014.
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