Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan 'for blasphemy'

[Dantrag]

A Christian woman has been sentenced to hang in Pakistan after being convicted of defaming the Prophet Mohammed.

Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old mother-of-five, denies blasphemy and told investigators that she was being persecuted for her faith in a country where Christians face routine harassment and discrimination.

Christian groups and human rights campaigners condemned the verdict and called for the blasphemy laws to be repealed.

Her supporters say she will now appeal against the sentence handed down in a local court in the town of Sheikhupura, near Lahore, Pakistan.

Ashiq Masih, her husband, said he had not had the heart to break the news to two of their children.

"I haven't told two of my younger daughters about the court's decision," he said. "They asked me many times about their mother but I can't get the courage to tell them that the judge has sentenced their mother to capital punishment for a crime she never committed." Mrs Bibi has been held in prison since June last year.

The court heard she had been working as a farmhand in fields with other women, when she was asked to fetch drinking water.

Some of the other women – all Muslims – refused to drink the water as it had been brought by a Christian and was therefore "unclean", according to Mrs Bibi's evidence, sparking a row.

The incident was forgotten until a few days later when Mrs Bibi said she was set upon by a mob.

The police were called and took her to a police station for her own safety.

Shahzad Kamran, of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan, said: "The police were under pressure from this Muslim mob, including clerics, asking for Asia to be killed because she had spoken ill of the Prophet Mohammed.

"So after the police saved her life they then registered a blasphemy case against her." He added that she had been held in isolation for more than a year before being sentenced to death on Monday.

"The trial was clear," he said. "She was innocent and did not say those words." Earlier this year, Pakistan's internet service providers were ordered to block Facebook to prevent access to supposedly blasphemous images.

Human rights groups believe the law is often used to discriminate against religious minorities, such as the country's estimated three million Christians.

Although no one has ever been executed under Pakistan's blasphemy laws – most are freed on appeal – as many as 10 people are thought to have been murdered while on trial.

Ali Hasan Dayan, of Human Rights Watch, said the blasphemy laws were out of step with rights guaranteed under Pakistan's constitution and should be repealed.

"It's an obscene law," he said. "Essentially the blasphemy law is used as a tool of persecution and to settle other scores that are nothing to do with religion.

"It makes religious minorities particularly vulnerable because it's often used against them."

Heard about this on the radio this morning, and it's fucking ridiculous. Her family is now on the run and al'qaeda has threatened with retaliation if she's set free.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...blasphemy.html

[Kuya]

Blasphemy laws. Cute.

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

One less christian in the world sounds good to me

[Dantrag]

One less christian in the world sounds good to me

Persecuted by a bunch of other religious people = *thumbs up*

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

Crusades, Israel, etc etc

[Plow]

That's what you get for bringing people water in a war zone.

[Sepukku]

Firas taken from celebratory party to local hospital with BAC of .34. News at 11.

[BerenTebogo]

Firas taken from celebratory party to local hospital with BAC of .34. News at 11.

I'm liking this post as hard as I can right now.

[ZarakiKujata]

Islam means Peace ok??? bunch of assholes up in this thread.

[Pirian]

Islam means Peace ok??? bunch of assholes up in this thread.

And death to those who say otherwise!

[Demosthenes11]

guys you would understand if you were muslim

[Effluo]

We should love all our peace loving and tolerant Muslim friends.

here's another good one:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...8S70.DTL&tsp=1

Pakistani authorities have arrested a doctor on suspicion of violating the country's contentious blasphemy law by throwing away a business card of a man who shared the name of Islam's prophet, Muhammad, police said Sunday.

The blasphemy law has been widely criticized by human rights groups following the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death last month for insulting Islam. Critics say the law should be amended or repealed because it is often used to settle grudges, persecute minorities and fan religious extremism.

Naushad Valiyani, a Muslim doctor in the southern city of Hyderabad, was arrested Friday after a complaint was lodged with police alleging his actions had insulted the Prophet Muhammad, said regional police chief Mushtaq Shah.

The case began Friday when Muhammad Faizan, a pharmaceutical company representative, visited Valiyani's clinic and handed out his business card. He said when the doctor threw the card away, Faizan went to police and filed a complaint that noted his name was the same as the prophet's.

Shah said police were investigating whether Valiyani should be charged with blasphemy.

Dozens of Pakistanis are sentenced to death each year under the blasphemy law, though most cases are thrown out by higher courts and no executions have been carried out. The law, however, is unlikely to be repealed because the government's ruling party — largely secular — relies on the support of Islamist groups.

Islamist political parties have recently demonstrated in support of the law and the sentence against Bibi. One hard-line cleric said if the government did not execute Bibi, his mosque would pay anyone who killed her $5,800.

The family of Bibi — a mother of five — insists she was falsely accused over a personal dispute. There have been appeals from around the globe — including one from Pope Benedict XVI — to pardon her. But the government has said it is first waiting for a court ruling on her appeal.

Pakistan's minister for minority affairs has said the law is being examined to prevent widespread abuse.

[zoobernut]

Wait so it is ok for a person to share the name with the prophet but it isn't ok for a night club to share its name with a place? Oh Islam you so crazy!

[Demosthenes11]

Wait so it is ok for a person to share the name with the prophet but it isn't ok for a night club to share its name with a place? Oh Islam you so crazy!

if a business card is likened to muhammed, then shouldn't a person with the name be considered worse than a drawing and therefore blasphemous? tarded

[Faris]

its either a cover up story to execute people, or pakistanis really got it wrong

[Dantrag]

Pretty amazing really...

[Heavencloud]

Glass 'em.

[chiyio]

And death to those who say otherwise!