After all that back and forth on Twitter, the matter of Cynthia Ritchie vs a major political party finally made it to court. But now the Additional District and Sessions Judge (ASJ) Jahangir Awan directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to register a case against American filmmaker.
PPP Islamabad President Shakeel Abbasi filed a petition against Cynthia Ritchie on Saturday stating that she had made baseless allegations against ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The petitioner requested that a case should be registered against her.
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Geo English reports that on Monday when the ASJ heard the plea, he approved PPP’s demand to file a case against the travel blogger with FIA. Even then, FIA and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) requested the court to dismiss the plea against the US blogger.
FIA informed the court that the petitioner was not the victim or guardian of the victim of the allegations made by Cynthia Ritchie, hence the agency could not lodge a complaint.
On the other hand, the petitioner’s attorney argued that due to the nature of tweets, the PPP was the aggrieved party. The court asked why the heirs of the late Benazir Bhutto were not lodging a complaint.
About Cynthia Ritchie case
It all started with a tweet about Benazir Bhutto’s marriage and domestic abuse.
This echos stories of what BB used to do when her husband cheated. She"d have the guards rape the women.
Why do women condone this rape culture? Why aren't the men ever held accountable? Where is the justice system?
To Pakistan's youth: please reject this backward thinking! https://t.co/Xr3xTNzAVq
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) May 28, 2020
Prove me wrong. Also prove Zardari didn't backhand a sitting PM (BB) in the presence of others. Review documentation.
Also prove Sindh gov't has not withheld water resources from its constituents until they vote PPP.
Prove me wrong. Otherwise, the only dirty woman is you. https://t.co/WZwethmVxo
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) May 28, 2020
This was following by a vicious Twitter spat that is ongoing between the filmmaker, and PPP politicians, workers, and supporters.
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There were even instances of sexual harassment in the Twitter-sphere that Cynthia Ritchie shared, but it was her allegations of rape against PPP senator Rehman Malik and sexual assault against ex-premier Yousaf Raza Gillani, and ex-minister of health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin that sent shockwaves through Pakistan.
#CynthiaIsPrideOfPakistan claims that in 2011 @MediaCellPPP PM Yousuf Raza Gillani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Federal Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin had raped her. @CynthiaDRitchie pic.twitter.com/zVJJh6ozyo
— Mohsin Bilal Khan (@MohsinBilalKhan) June 5, 2020
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She revealed that the incidents took place in 2011 when the PPP was the ruling party in Pakistan. Cynthia Ritchie has since then kept her followers posted on the legal developments.
This is my first notice to former Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani. pic.twitter.com/fh868B5JdX
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) June 11, 2020
#Pakistan authorities are keeping me safe.
Below fake documents are #PPP's campaign (esp Rehman Malik) to suppress media, my voice & also (indirectly) threaten my life. We've evidence of this & Malik's harassment/sexual exploitation of female journalists.
In pursuit of Justice https://t.co/jgKH0oCQ5A
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) June 15, 2020
