Rights body Amnesty International has urged Pakistani authorities to immediately release eight people who were arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), days after the change of government, for allegedly "criticizing the state" on Twitter.

"The Pakistani authorities must stop using the draconian Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) to punish people who are simply exercising their right to freedom of expression online," Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty’s director for the South Asia region, said in a statement.

PECA, she said, has repeatedly been used by successive governments as a tool to crush peaceful dissent and intimidate supporters of political opposition. Significantly, the Islamabad High Court has recently struck down a section of the law, terming it unconstitutional.

Eight online activists belonging to the party of former prime minister Imran Khan, had posted tweets critical of the army, judiciary, and the new government.

On Friday, Amnesty International called for the government to “immediately and unconditionally” release the eight people arrested across Punjab. The rights group also asked the government to end its “repressive crackdown.” 

Earlier this week, responding to a petition filed by the party of Imran Khan, the Islamabad High Court issued directives to the FIA not to harass the online workers of the party.

Following the ouster of Imran Khan from power, the country’s powerful military, which otherwise enjoys a favorable influence on social media, came under intense criticism from a section of Khan’s followers who blamed the military for not saving his government from what they alleged was a foreign conspiracy of regime change. Terming it malicious propaganda, the Pakistan military on Thursday condemned the targeted campaign.

(SAM)