A former Fulbright scholar and university lecturer sentenced to death under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws has had his appeal heard by the Lahore High Court, raising hopes among his family and legal team that the conviction could be overturned. Junaid Hafeez was arrested on March 13, 2013, accused of using a fake Facebook profile to insult the Prophet Muhammad in a closed group called 'So-Called Liberals of Pakistan.' His family claims he was set up by an Islamist student group on campus.

Hafeez's trial began in 2014 but was moved to Multan Central Jail due to security concerns and repeatedly delayed before he was sentenced to death by a trial court in Multan in 2019. He challenged the verdict in 2020, and his appeal has been pending ever since. On September 22, a two-member bench of the Lahore High Court heard the appeal, issuing notices to the prosecution and complainant and requesting arguments on electronic evidence, including Facebook material attributed to Hafeez. The next hearing is scheduled for October 10, but it remains unclear how long the court will take to decide.

'I want to see my son free and back home. We are fighting a very difficult battle,' Hafeez's father, Hafeez-un-Naseer, told DW. He said he met his son in prison last Thursday through a glass window, speaking by phone. 'This case has taken everything from us,' he added. His lawyer, Saif-ul-Malook, said Hafeez has read thousands of books during his years in prison. 'He is an intellectual. His health is fine, but he is frustrated inside the jail. I am hopeful that under this bench, he will be released,' Malook told DW. He noted that Lahore High Court judges have generally been reluctant to hear blasphemy appeals, but this time Justice Sadiq Mahmud Khurram is on the bench. 'In my experience, there is prejudice against the accused at every stage,' he said.

Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have called for the conviction to be overturned and for Hafeez's release, noting he has been kept in solitary confinement since June 2014. Pakistani policy analyst Raza Rumi said judges face intense pressure in blasphemy cases. 'Acquittals or even procedural decisions can trigger threats and public backlash, contributing to delays and caution in handling such cases,' Rumi told DW. Security has been a major issue throughout the proceedings. At least seven judges were transferred during the trial, and Hafeez's first lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was shot dead in his Multan office in May 2014 after reportedly receiving threats related to the case.

Islamabad-based Islamic activist Hafiz Ehtisham Ahmed told DW he believes the court should uphold the blasphemy conviction, arguing that abolishing the laws could 'encourage disrespect for religion.' He added: 'There is international pressure on Pakistan to change these laws. If Hafeez is acquitted, it would raise serious questions about the justice system.' Pakistan's blasphemy laws have been widely condemned internationally for their arbitrary application and potential for abuse of power. Hafeez's fate now depends on the Lahore High Court's assessment of the evidence and arguments. His family remains hopeful. 'We wish that one night we could go to sleep and wake up to find our son free and back home,' said his father. 'Thirteen years have taken so much from our family, but we have never stopped hoping that one day Junaid will walk free.'

Source: www.dw.com