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SC took suo motu notice of the alleged contemptuous tweet by a journalist

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16 Jul, 2020

ISLAMABAD: While the Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu notice of the alleged contemptuous tweet by a journalist, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in an identical matter observed that dignity of judges is not “so frail and vulnerable so as to be harmed by a tweet on the social media”.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Ijazul Ahsan at the outset of the proceedings issued notices to the attorney general, journalist Mateeullah Jan and president of the Supreme Court of Bar Association. The bench put off the hearing till next week.

For his part, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah upheld the objections of the court office and dismissed a petition for contempt proceedings against the same journalist over his alleged defamatory tweet.

Although the court termed the tweet “inappropriate and unwanted content”, it expressed displeasure that the matter had been highlighted through litigation.

SC takes suo motu notice of Mateeullah Jan’s alleged contemptuous tweet

“It was indeed not appropriate for the petitioner, who is an enrolled advocate, to have further propagated an inappropriate and unwanted content by filing the instant petition. Only a few (persons) would have read it on the social media platform, but by entertaining this petition this court would be facilitating its propagation,” Justice Minallah noted.

“The judgments of a judge and the latter’s conduct is the measure of his or her integrity and independence. If contempt proceedings were to be initiated on the basis of a message uploaded on one of the social media platforms then it would open floodgates of petitions because of the number of allegedly contemptuous content,” he added.

“The integrity and independence of the Honourable Judges, regarding whom the alleged tweet has been attributed, is beyond doubt.”

Advocate Adnan Iqbal had said in his petition that through his tweet Mr Jan had attempted to use the social media platform to scandalise the apex court. He had prayed for the initiation of proceedings against the journalist under the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003.

The petitioner had attached a document with his petition, said to be an image of the tweet uploaded by the respondent on his Twitter account.

Discussing the social media and how it tries to influence the judiciary, the court said: “Its impact on the administration of justice, particularly the right to a fair trial of an accused, could be profound. The abuse of social media platforms in a politically polarised society entails the risk of harming institutions and individuals. Fake, false, malicious and misguided propaganda, cyber-bullying or cyber-stalking, (and) targeting the judiciary and its members on social media platforms have become a common phenomenon.”

“The privacy of judges is not protected and messages, photos and videos relating to their personal lives or family matters are also uploaded in flagrant violation of the right to privacy,” it added.

“Fake, false and fabricated information and propaganda about judges and the administration of justice are resorted to in order to get the desired verdicts. Motives are imputed when a verdict is not of liking.

“It definitely creates an intense challenge for an independent judge and the judiciary. But the dignity of a judge or a court is not dependent on resorting to the law of contempt,” the court order added.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2020
 
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court said: “Its impact on the administration of justice, particularly the right to a fair trial of an accused, could be profound. The abuse of social media platforms in a politically polarised society entails the risk of harming institutions and individuals. Fake, false, malicious and misguided propaganda, cyber-bullying or cyber-stalking, (and) targeting the judiciary and its members on social media platforms have become a common phenomenon.”

Yes. Its a constant nuisance on PdF as well.

These social media platforms are agents of chaos and most of these political trolls take their hint from the populist puppets in public office.

“Fake, false and fabricated information and propaganda about judges and the administration of justice are resorted to in order to get the desired verdicts. Motives are imputed when a verdict is not of liking.

“It definitely creates an intense challenge for an independent judge and the judiciary. But the dignity of a judge or a court is not dependent on resorting to the law of contempt,” the court order added.

This is true itself.

Hopefully PdF content gets regulated as well.
 
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SC to hear contempt of court case against journalist

The Frontier Post

July 19, 2020


ISLAMABAD (APP): The Supreme Court would hear a contempt of court case against journalist Matiullah Jan over an alleged tweet against judges and judiciary on Wednesday (July 22).

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel would hear the case.

The court also issued notices to the Attorney General for Pakistan and the President Supreme Court Bar Association as amicus curiae.

According to details, the court had issued contempt notice to Matiullah Jan over a tweet from his Twitter account on July 10 in which the journalist apparently used painful words against judges and the judiciary.
 
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This is what Musharraf was up against.
His biggest crime was to try and abolish this "contempt of court" law who's definition was changed by judiciary .
It makes them holy cows against whom nobody can speak.
 
. . .
16 Jul, 2020

ISLAMABAD: While the Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu notice of the alleged contemptuous tweet by a journalist, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in an identical matter observed that dignity of judges is not “so frail and vulnerable so as to be harmed by a tweet on the social media”.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Ijazul Ahsan at the outset of the proceedings issued notices to the attorney general, journalist Mateeullah Jan and president of the Supreme Court of Bar Association. The bench put off the hearing till next week.

For his part, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah upheld the objections of the court office and dismissed a petition for contempt proceedings against the same journalist over his alleged defamatory tweet.

Although the court termed the tweet “inappropriate and unwanted content”, it expressed displeasure that the matter had been highlighted through litigation.

SC takes suo motu notice of Mateeullah Jan’s alleged contemptuous tweet

“It was indeed not appropriate for the petitioner, who is an enrolled advocate, to have further propagated an inappropriate and unwanted content by filing the instant petition. Only a few (persons) would have read it on the social media platform, but by entertaining this petition this court would be facilitating its propagation,” Justice Minallah noted.

“The judgments of a judge and the latter’s conduct is the measure of his or her integrity and independence. If contempt proceedings were to be initiated on the basis of a message uploaded on one of the social media platforms then it would open floodgates of petitions because of the number of allegedly contemptuous content,” he added.

“The integrity and independence of the Honourable Judges, regarding whom the alleged tweet has been attributed, is beyond doubt.”

Advocate Adnan Iqbal had said in his petition that through his tweet Mr Jan had attempted to use the social media platform to scandalise the apex court. He had prayed for the initiation of proceedings against the journalist under the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003.

The petitioner had attached a document with his petition, said to be an image of the tweet uploaded by the respondent on his Twitter account.

Discussing the social media and how it tries to influence the judiciary, the court said: “Its impact on the administration of justice, particularly the right to a fair trial of an accused, could be profound. The abuse of social media platforms in a politically polarised society entails the risk of harming institutions and individuals. Fake, false, malicious and misguided propaganda, cyber-bullying or cyber-stalking, (and) targeting the judiciary and its members on social media platforms have become a common phenomenon.”

“The privacy of judges is not protected and messages, photos and videos relating to their personal lives or family matters are also uploaded in flagrant violation of the right to privacy,” it added.

“Fake, false and fabricated information and propaganda about judges and the administration of justice are resorted to in order to get the desired verdicts. Motives are imputed when a verdict is not of liking.

“It definitely creates an intense challenge for an independent judge and the judiciary. But the dignity of a judge or a court is not dependent on resorting to the law of contempt,” the court order added.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2020
When will the honorable court take soumoto notice of the JIT of Uzair Baloch? Or that's not important because there is no content?
 
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