On October 27th, Facebook was blocked in Pakistan for the second time in a year.
Pakistan’s government has blocked access to Facebook for the second time in a year, claiming that it is “in violation of local laws”. The block came into effect at around 10am local time on Thursday, with no prior warning. Internet users reported that they were unable to access the social network from within the country.
The move is thought to be part of a crackdown on blasphemy and pornography by the Pakistani government. Blasphemy is illegal under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws and can result in life imprisonment or even death. The laws have been used to target religious minorities, including Shia Muslims and Ahmadis.
In September 2018, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered an investigation into Facebook after being accused of spreading “blasphemous content” on his official page. He denied any wrongdoing and said he would only take down posts if they were found to be offensive.
