An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced a man to death for allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammed in an argument on Facebook, the first time the death penalty has been handed out for comments on social media.
Taimoor Raza, 30, was found guilty of blasphemy after he insulted the prophet and "disseminated offensive pictures", said anti-terrorism court officials in Multan, Punjab province.
He was also convicted of "making comments against Sunni Muslim religious leaders" and insulting the prophet's wife, they said.
The case marks the latest example of sweeping curbs on social media in Pakistan, where unfounded allegations of blasphemy have led to vigilante justice.
The exact content of the Facebook messages remains unclear. Court officials in Multan refused a request to clarify the comments, saying they were too offensive to repeat.
Raza must now appeal in Pakistan's High Court and, failing that, the Supreme Court, or face becoming the first person in Pakistan to be executed for blasphemy on social media.
Shafiq Qureshi, a local prosecutor, said Raza was arrested at a bus stop after police caught him playing "offensive material" on his cellphone. He said the phone was confiscated, which led to police discovering the social media posts and bringing blasphemy charges against him.
Raza's brother alleged he was ensnared by counter-terrorism officials who led him into a "sectarian debate on Facebook".
Human rights groups reacted with dismay to the decision, with Amnesty International demanding that the death sentence be quashed. Nadia Rahman, Amnesty's Pakistan campaigner, said it was "a violation of international human rights law and sets a dangerous precedent".
"The authorities are using vague and broad laws to criminalise freedom of expression. He and all others accused of 'blasphemy' must be released immediately," she said.
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