Pakistan sentences journalists and ex-military officers to life for inciting violence

On January 2, 2026, an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad sentenced seven individuals—including three journalists, two YouTubers, and two retired military officers—to life imprisonment for inciting violence and spreading hatred against state institutions during the May 2023 riots. These individuals, known supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, were convicted in absentia, as they had fled the country to avoid arrest after the unrest.

The convicted include journalists Shaheen Sehbai, Sabir Shakir, and Moeed Pirzada; YouTubers Wajahat Saeed Khan and Haider Raza Mehdi; and ex-army officers Adil Raja and Akbar Hussain. The charges relate to their alleged roles in encouraging attacks on military and government facilities following Khan's arrest in a corruption case. Khan, ousted from power in 2022, has denied all allegations.

One of the journalists, Shakir, criticized the trial as politically motivated and claimed he was not present in Pakistan during the riots. Human rights advocates have raised concerns about growing restrictions on free speech in the country. The court has allowed the right to appeal and ordered arrests should the convicts return to Pakistan.