Islamabad (HRNW) — Journalist Bilal Ghori was presented before a court in connection with a case registered against him under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) requested 10 days of physical remand for the journalist.
The investigating officer told the court that recovery of Bilal Ghori’s YouTube and X accounts is available, and that his physical remand was required for further investigation.
Bilal Ghori’s lawyer, Hanzala Habib, argued that the vlog in question was uploaded on September 5, but no notice was issued to the journalist before his direct arrest. He also said that the perception that has developed regarding the country’s courts is not correct.
Another counsel, Imran Shafique, told the court that the entire programme was available on YouTube. He maintained that there was not a single word in the programme that could be considered false or incorrect.
After hearing the arguments, the court approved three days of physical remand of journalist Bilal Ghori and handed him over to the NCCIA.
Human Angle
Legal proceedings involving journalists require a careful balance between freedom of expression, journalistic responsibility and the need for lawful and transparent investigations. Physical remand is part of the investigation process and does not amount to a determination of guilt.
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Disclaimer
This report is based on the information provided regarding the court proceedings and statements made by the investigating authorities and defence lawyers. The allegations against the accused have not been established as final facts. The accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a competent court.
