I was nearly sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan: Mark Zuckerberg

On the Joe Rogan Podcast, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke on stricter content controls and the growing regulatory pressures on technology firms worldwide

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently revealed that he had once faced the possibility of a death sentence in Pakistan over allegations of blasphemy. Speaking on the Joe Rogan Podcast, Zuckerberg addressed the legal challenges Meta has encountered in Pakistan due to a lawsuit linked to allegedly blasphemous content on Facebook.  

 

Reports indicate that the lawsuit accuses Facebook of hosting material that contravenes Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws, which carry severe punishments for content deemed offensive to religious beliefs. Zuckerberg spoke about the issue while explaining Meta’s ongoing effort to balance free speech with adherence to local laws and cultural sensitivities. 

 

The abuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan by so-called 'blasphemy gangs' is tarnishing our nation’s image globally. Even Mark Zuckerberg has expressed concerns about visiting Pakistan due to such issues. Imagine the damage to our reputation when laws meant for justice are misused.… pic.twitter.com/P54juz4ltZ

— Ali K. Chishti (@akchishti) February 12, 2025

    

“There are laws in different countries that we disagree with. For instance, at one point, someone attempted to have me sentenced to death in Pakistan because a user on Facebook had posted a drawing of Prophet Mohammed. This was considered blasphemous in their culture, leading to a lawsuit and criminal proceedings against me,” he explained.  

 

'No plans to visit Pakistan'

 

He added that he had not closely followed the case, stating, “I’m not entirely sure what happened with it, as I have no plans to visit Pakistan, so it wasn’t something I was too concerned about.”  

 

Zuckerberg also discussed the growing regulatory pressures on technology firms worldwide, highlighting the challenges posed by stricter content controls. “Some countries hold values that clash with the principles of free expression and demand far more content restrictions than many people would consider reasonable. The ability of these governments to threaten imprisonment exerts immense pressure. I believe this is an area where the US government may need to step in to support American tech companies operating internationally,” he remarked.