Islamabad, 30 December 2017: The Federal Investigative Agency acting on the demands of Rawalpindi & Islamabad Union of Journalists has appointed a deputy director as a liaison officer for ‘cyber crimes’ cases that concern journalists.
FIA has designated a deputy director at the cyber-crime wing as a focal person to coordinate with Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists. The official will liaise with the journalist body before registering a case against a journalists under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, it was learned.
The designated official is also tasked to conduct awareness workshops for journalists on issues related to cybercrime. Mubarak Zeb, the President of RIUJ said that the body will also organise workshops to ensure that journalists are aware of cyber crimes related issues.
Its important to note here that Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, the law that deals with cyber crimes in Pakistan, criminalises the act of whistleblowing, and unauthorised information access in public interest and can potentially be used to penalise journalists or their sources.
Its also important to note that FIA in the past has been involved in harassing journalists and ‘summoning’ them illegally under Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act to answer for their ‘online activities’ which more often than not include criticism of political figures or institutions.
