First Regular Hearing of Junaid Hafeez’s Death Sentence Appeal in Lahore High Court, Arguments Sought on Electronic Evidence

Nearly six years after it was filed, the appeal received its first substantive hearing on Tuesday, with a two-judge bench directing prosecutors to establish the legal standing of the social-media evidence at the heart of the case.

LAHORE — The Lahore High Court on Tuesday heard an appeal filed by Junaid Hafeez, a former lecturer at Bahauddin Zakariya University (Multan) who was sentenced to death in a blasphemy case, and sought arguments from the prosecution regarding the legal status and admissibility of the electronic evidence presented against him.

Junaid Hafeez filed an appeal against his death sentence in the Lahore High Court on January 9, 2020. Nearly six years later, the appeal received its first regular hearing. A two-member bench comprising Justice Sadiq Mahmood Khurram and Justice Javed Zafar directed the prosecution to satisfy the court and Junaid Hafeez’s lawyers regarding the electronic evidence presented against him.

Junaid Hafeez’s lawyer, Asad Jamal, told BBC Urdu that significant progress had been made in the appeal on Tuesday. He said the court had sought clear arguments from the prosecution regarding the legal status and admissibility of the electronic evidence.

The next hearing of the appeal has been scheduled for October 10.

Junaid Hafeez’s legal team also includes lawyer Saif-ul-Malook. During the proceedings, the court specifically directed the prosecution to establish the electronic evidence in accordance with the law so that the court could rely on it while deciding the case.

Junaid Hafeez was a lecturer at Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan and was sentenced to death after being accused of blasphemy. His appeal had remained pending before the Lahore High Court for a prolonged period. Tuesday’s hearing is being regarded as significant progress in the case.

“The court has sought answers on two key issues at the next hearing — the legal distinction between a Facebook page and a Facebook group, and the forensic authenticity of the social media posts attributed to Junaid Hafeez.”

After so many years of waiting, Junaid Hafeez’s case finally saw meaningful and substantive progress today. The Lahore High Court formally admitted his appeal against the death sentence for hearing and issued notices to the prosecution.

The court has sought answers on two key issues at the next hearing. The first is the legal distinction between a Facebook page and a Facebook group, and the second concerns the forensic authenticity of the social media posts attributed to Junaid Hafeez. A date for the next hearing has not yet been formally fixed.

Outside the courtroom proceedings, one of the most moving scenes was the presence of Junaid’s father and brother. At the conclusion of the hearing, tears were visible in his father’s eyes. This is a family that has endured severe emotional and psychological distress for the past thirteen years. The price they have paid while waiting for justice has been extraordinarily heavy.

Junaid Hafeez has been in prison since 2013 and has been held on death row since he was sentenced in 2019. His appeal has remained pending since 2020.

Members of civil society were also present in the courtroom to express solidarity with him. Their presence reflected the view that the case is being seen not merely as a legal proceeding, but also in the context of a fair trial, timely justice, and the protection of everyone involved in such sensitive cases.

Today’s hearing has certainly raised a ray of hope, but it has also brought a bitter question about the years that have passed. The judges expressed surprise that, after the case was transferred to Lahore, notices had not even been issued to the parties. They also questioned why efforts had not been made through the legal procedure to secure an early hearing of such an old and sensitive case.

For Junaid’s family, however, this is not simply an old case buried in a court file. It represents the loss of thirteen precious years of their lives and the story of every moment spent waiting for justice.

For everyone gathered outside the court today, there was one simple hope: that the case would now proceed without further delay, that the evidence would be examined properly and transparently, and that, ultimately, justice would prevail.

Petition: Fair Trial and Immediate Release of Professor Junaid Hafeez