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October 27, 2025 – Pakistan –
Pakistani authorities are moving to indict veteran journalist Matiullah Jan in Islamabad on October 31 under the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act and narcotics possession allegations, according to the human-rights monitoring group Human Rights Watch (HRW). Jan has long reported on police abuse in Pakistan, and his coverage has increasingly made him a target of state action. The HRW contends that the case is part of a broader pattern of silencing dissent and curbing press freedom.
Authorities claim that on November 27, 2024, Jan was stopped at a checkpoint in Islamabad’s E-9 area, where they say he possessed 246 grams of methamphetamine and resisted arrest. Jan disputes the account, saying unidentified men in black uniforms abducted him that night and accused the case of being a retaliation for his critical reporting. In the wider context, authorities in Pakistan have filed approximately 689 cases in 2025 under the draconian and broad 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, many aimed at journalists and opposition voices.
HRW voices deep concern that this prosecution exemplifies the misuse of criminal laws to suppress journalistic work. As Patricia Gossman of HRW noted, “The Pakistani authorities’ prosecution of Matiullah Jan appears to be a heavy-handed attempt to silence critical journalism.” Domestic and international media freedom organizations—including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)—have joined calls for the immediate withdrawal of charges against Jan.
HRW argues Pakistan must conduct prompt, impartial investigations into journalist-targeted prosecutions and amend or annul laws that contravene freedom of expression. It says journalists must be able to operate without fear of arbitrary arrest or retaliatory charges simply for doing their job.
This development poses serious implications for press freedom in Pakistan, where the criminal justice system is increasingly used to curtail critical voices. The case of Matiullah Jan underscores the urgent need for structural reforms and safeguards so journalists can report freely and fearlessly.
Reference –
https://www.tolerance.ca/ArticleExt.aspx?ID=590569&L=en
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/10/27/pakistan-drop-charges-against-outspoken-journalist
