Legal remedies for victims

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According to Aqsa Javed, a Lahore-based high court advocate, any aggrieved person whose videos are posted online without their consent has the following legal remedies available:

Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees the right to dignity and privacy, and recording or disseminating videos of accused persons is a violation of these fundamental rights. A constitutional petition can be filed against the police for this infringement.

Additionally, such actions may constitute misuse of authority, particularly under Section 166 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860, which addresses a public servant disobeying the law with intent to cause injury.

If the video is shared on digital platforms, it also amounts to a violation of the Peca, 2016, including Section 21, which covers offences against the modesty of a natural person and minor and Section 24, which addresses cyberstalking, including taking or distributing a person’s photo or video without consent.

In such cases, the victim can file a complaint against the police in their individual capacity with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2025

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