Ottawa, March 2 (NationPress) A Canadian student, detained in Pakistan while working on his dissertation, has been denied bail. Hamza Ahmed Khan's sibling, Awes Ahmed Khan, expressed that there is no justification for his brother's continued imprisonment, as reported by local media.

"There is no justification for keeping him incarcerated. It appears the system aims to penalize him prior to a trial. We haven't had a proper night's sleep in a week," Awes stated, as quoted by CBC News, Canada's prominent news source.

Hamza Ahmed Khan, who possesses dual citizenship in Canada and Pakistan, is pursuing a PhD at the University of Toronto. He arrived in Pakistan in December to interview specialists regarding democracy promotion in Muslim-majority nations. His family reported his disappearance on February 19, and he has been held at Lahore district jail since February 21.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) apprehended Ahmed Khan for purported violations of the 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in Pakistan. The NCCIA's official statement indicated that during routine surveillance, they discovered that Ahmed Khan was "spreading misinformation and disinformation targeting state institutions" via his X and Instagram accounts.

Asad Jamal, the family's attorney, mentioned that the decision to deny bail to Ahmed Khan was based on previous cases that do not align with this particular situation.

The judicial magistrate, Muhammad Naeem Wattoo, noted in the court's ruling that allegations of such "derogatory and malicious campaigns" against the state "should not be considered trivial or casual."

"In today's digital landscape, sharing inflammatory content on social media can have immediate and extensive repercussions," he emphasized, asserting that such claims necessitate serious judicial examination and cannot be dismissed lightly, as reported by CBC News.

Awes Ahmed Khan remarked that his brother was merely exchanging ideas with a limited audience on social media platforms designed for free expression and dialogue. "The legal system should not penalize discourse and ideas. If critical discussions about human rights or government policies lead to imprisonment without due process, it undermines everyone's right to speak freely, not just Hamza’s," he stated.

Hamza Ahmed Khan boasts approximately 15,700 followers on X. Awes expressed confusion over the alleged tampering with evidence, stating in an interview with CBC Toronto, "If something is shared, it cannot just be altered after the fact," adding that, "This is entirely unjust."

Asad Jamal informed that Hamza Ahmed Khan's family has submitted a bail petition in the district court, and if unsuccessful, they plan to escalate the matter to the High Court. However, Jamal remains pessimistic regarding the district court outcome, asserting, "There is a significant risk that the bail application may be rejected."