Pakistani Fulbright Scholar Junaid Hafeez's Death Sentence Appeal Heard in Lahore High Court

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Junaid Hafeez, a former Fulbright scholar and university lecturer, faces a death sentence under Pakistan's blasphemy laws for alleged Facebook comments made in 2013. His appeal against the 2019 conviction began in the Lahore High Court on September 22. Hafeez's lawyer expressed hope for his release, noting the academic has read thousands of books in prison. Human rights groups suggest Hafeez was targeted by an Islamist student group. His father is fighting for his son's freedom.