The world of Lollywood appears glamorous on camera, but behind the scenes, it could be a flat-out, cruel, and unforgiving realm.
Nepotism, backstage politics, celebrity affairs, and harassment incidents have plagued Pakistan’s entertainment industry for decades. However, recent times have seen a surge in defamation cases too.
Sometimes, celebrities can be ridiculed and jailed in skewed defamation cases for standing up to powerful figures. Renowned filmmaker Jamshed Mahmood Raza is the latest victim of this dangerous trend.
Jamshed Mahmood Raza Has Been Jailed For Allegedly Defaming Sohail Javed
Pakistani filmmaker, Jamshed Mahmood Raza, popularly known as Jami, has been handed a prison sentence of 2 years for allegedly defaming director Sohail Javed.
Jami read out an anonymous letter from an unnamed sexual assault survivor at the Lahooti Melo, and posted the same on his Facebook page.
The victim claimed an assault by a well-known figure in the entertainment industry. Neither Jami nor the survivor named Javed is in the statement. However, the comments section hinted that Javed was the prominent figure. This led the director to file a defamation suit against Jami.
Jami denied the accusations, claiming that he was previously unaware of the contents of the letter, which was given to him by the manager of Lahooti Melo.
Nonetheless, the court ruled that the accused had done nothing to dissuade commenters, nor did he provide plausible evidence to confirm that he was previously unaware of the letter’s content.
The filmmaker was taken into custody under Section 500 of the Pakistan Penal Code for defamation and was fined PKR 10,000.
A Disturbing Trend to Defame Survivors and Activists
Jami’s supporters immediately called out the court’s decision to jail the filmmaker as a misuse and misrepresentation of criminal defamation laws.
Defamation laws are being used as weapons to discredit survivors, activists, and victims, especially when accusations have been levelled against high-profile figures.
The practice of defaming victims is dangerous because it will discourage other survivors from raising their voice, and give powerful figures a free pass to act upon their will without impunity.
Jami’s conviction raises concerns about Pakistan’s legal and cultural landscape, which could be shielding abusers and curbing freedom of speech.
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