The online participatory encyclopedia Wikipedia has been blocked in Pakistan due to a “ blasphemous content “, announced, Saturday, February 4, the Pakistani Telecommunications Authority (PTA), while the issue of blasphemy is particularly sensitive in this Muslim country.
” This page can not be displayed. The error message appears when trying to access Wikipedia in Pakistan. The site has been blocked since Friday. Pakistani authorities are demanding the removal of content they deem blasphemous, but no details were given on the article in question, reports our regional correspondent, Sonia Ghezali.
Wikipedia has been blocked” after failing to respond to our repeated request to remove profanity and failing to meet the deadline assigned for this withdrawal, told Malahat Obaid, a spokesman for the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA). The PTA, which announced on Wednesday that it had given Wikipedia until Friday to remove the content in question. “ They removed some of the content (in question) but not all added the spokesperson. Wikipedia “ will remain blocked until all offending content is removed “, he said.
very sensitive issue
The issue of blasphemy is very sensitive in Pakistan where anyone found guilty of insulting the Prophet Muhammad risks the death penalty. The law also provides for a minimum of ten years’ imprisonment for insulting the Prophet’s companions, wives and family members. A law often misused to convict innocent people or silence any dissent, denounce human rights defenders. Pakistan has repeatedly blocked various websites over the past years.
In a press release, the Wikimedia Foundation, which manages Wikipedia, estimated that the blocking “ blocked the world’s fifth most populous nation from accessing the largest free repository of knowledge “. ” If this continues, it will also deprive the world of access to knowledge, history and culture of Pakistan “, specifies the press release.
Content judged ” indecent ” And “ immoral »
In the past, some pages of the encyclopedia had already been censored in Pakistan. Social media giants Facebook in 2010 and YouTube between 2012 and 2016 have also been blocked for the same reason. More recently, video-sharing platform TikTok was repeatedly blocked from broadcasting in the country for content deemed “ indecent ” And “ immoral “.
(And with AFP)
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