Pakistan: Asia Bibi condemned to death by the High Court

The High Court of Lahore (northeastern Pakistan) confirmed on October 16, 2014, the death sentence issued to Asia Bibi, a 40-year-old Pakistani Christian charged with “blasphemy” and condemned in the first instance to this same penalty in 2010 (see Dici no. 227, 18/12/10).

The judge called the evidence of two Moslem sisters “credible and valid”. They claimed to have witnessed so-called blasphemy from this mother of five. Following a dispute, they accused her of “insulting Mohammed”. The local imam then lodged a complaint against her, which led to her arrest and condemnation to death by hanging.

In France the ACAT (Action of Christians for the abolition of torture) posted on its website a petition addressed to Pakistani president Mamnoon Hussain, pleading for clemency. Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, was begged by the family of Asia Bibi to present their plea to the president. The Chrétienté-Solidarité association organized a protest in her support on October 23 in front of the Pakistani embassy in Paris.

The defence lawyers are planning to appeal the judgement again and bring it before the Supreme Court, the highest court of justice in Pakistan.

(Sources: kipa-apic.ch – Fides – Reinformation TV – Christianophobie – DICI no. 303, 24/10/14)

For further reading :
Pakistan: A World Petition to Save Asia Bibi
Pakistan: Anti-Christian Persecutions
Pakistan: Conversions to Islam and forced marriages
Pakistan: “Green light for the Islamists”
Pakistan: Over 700 Christian women abducted, forcibly married and converted to Islam each year
Pakistan: “The Country is in the hands of the Talibans,” declares the director of Asia Caritas
Pakistan: Catholic Minister Assassinated