New York, Feb. 4 -- Human Rights Watch on Tuesday said that internet freedom and free expression are gravely threatened by Pakistan's government's recent amendment to the country's cybercrimes act.

The Pakistan Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025 should be promptly repealed or reformed by the Pakistani parliament according to a report by Human Rights Watch.

The new law, which went into effect on January 29, 2025, has clauses that make spreading "fake or false" information a crime that carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.

Although "fake or false" news is not defined in the amendment, it is subjectively described as information that may "cause fear, panic, disorder, or unrest" using ambiguous and overly general langua...