JournalismPakistan.com
February 09, 2019

ISLAMABAD: The arrest of Rizwanur Rehman Razi 'Dada' on Saturday for posting "defamatory and obnoxious" content against state institutions has been widely condemned.

Soon after his arrest, journalists and politicians took to Twitter to condemn the action and demanded his immediate release.

Dawn columnist Zahid Hussain thought the arrest indicates shrinking of democratic space in Pakistan. “The democratic space is shrinking. It has become police state.”

The democratic space is shrinking. It has become police state. https://t.co/jYwMHZ2TJr

— zahid Hussain (@hidhussain) February 9, 2019

Hum TV presenter Nadeem Malik equated the arrest to repression. “It is an extreme amount of repression to abduct a journalist like Rizwan #Razi. No law would ever justify such acts of using the brute force to silence media. It is your responsibility
to stop this @ImranKhanPTI @OfficialDGISPR #Pakistan”.

Malik was also not happy with the photo of Razi released by FIA. “Disappointing and painful to see another journalist in handcuffs. Just hope Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI realises how damaging it is to put media in shackles #Pakistan.”

Talat Hussain, formerly of Geo TV, said: “Sr journalist Rizwan Razi picked up by FIA on ‘cyber crime’ charges. Regime of fear rules.”

Sr journalist Rizwan Razi picked up by FIA on ‘cyber crime’ charges. Regime of fear rules.

— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) February 9, 2019

Journalist Arshad Waheed Chaudhry blamed the federal government for the arrest. “Shame On Govt . Pls do not forget PM @ImranKhanPTI is the in charge of
Ministry of interior under which FIA operates.”

PML-N leader and MNA Ahsan Iqbal demanded the immediate release of Razi. “Rizwan Razi abduction incident in condemned. He should be released immediately.”

Geo TV’s Azaz Syed termed the arrest an attempt to stifle freedom of expression. “So state is scared of @Twitter account of journalist @RaziDada . His arrest is an attempt to detain #freedomofexpression in Pakistan.”