An anti-terror court in northwestern Pakistan has sentenced a Muslim man to death for posting blasphemous content on a WhatsApp group, Al-Arabia reports.

In Muslim-majority Pakistan, blasphemy is a sensitive issue, and even unproven accusations can spark violence. The man was also found guilty by a Peshawar court under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Anti-Terrorism Act, 2021, and got arrested. The accused has been lodged in the Peshawar Central Jail since then.

"After the accused Syed Mohammad Zeshan was found guilty, the death sentence was announced against him," - the court's decision reads.

Pakistani authorities blocked the online encyclopedia Wikipedia in February after it failed to comply with demands to remove "blasphemous" content. Wikipedia has been given 48 hours to remove this information. Neither the publication nor the Pakistani authorities said what "blasphemous" content they were referring to. However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has promised to consider unblocking Wikipedia if this content is removed. Pakistani law prescribes the death penalty for blasphemy.