Christian on death row for blasphemy loses appeal in Pakistan court

The Lahore High Court has upheld the death sentence awarded to Christian woman Asia Bibi. The mother of five was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death in a controversial case in 2010.

Deutsche Welle, 16 Oct 2014

Two judges of the Lahore High Court announced on Thursday that Asia Bibi's death sentence would be upheld. The judges, headed by Justice Anwarul Haq, dismissed Asia Bibi's appeal after her lawyers failed to prove her innocence.

Asia Bibi's lawyer Naeem Shakir told reporters after the verdict: "We are utterly disappointed. But we will file a review petition against the LHC [Lahore High Court] decision in the Supreme Court." Shakir is hopeful that the country's highest court will grant Asia Bibi amnesty.

'Blasphemy' in 2009

Asia Bibi is from a rural area close to Lahore in eastern Pakistan. Allegations of blasphemy against the mother of five children go back to 2009. At the time, Asia, who was working in a field, was asked to fetch water.

Muslim women working with her objected, since Asia Bibi was not Muslim and therefore unfit to touch the water. The heated arguments that ensued ended her being charged of blasphemy. After being found guilty of making derogatory comments against Islam's main prophet, she was sentenced to death in 2010.

Blasphemy - insulting the Prophet Muhammad - is punishable by death in Pakistan. The controversial laws were re-introduced in the 1980s by former dictator Zia-ul-Haq. Human rights organizations in Pakistan say that the laws are often used to settle personal scores and discriminate against religious minorities.

Even lawyers and politicians defending those accused of blasphemy become targets of mob attacks. Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who supported a call for Asia to be pardoned, was gunned down in 2011 by a police guard in Islamabad.

mg/sb (dpa, PTI)

Related Article:

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems  (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it),  Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse),  Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… New Tolerance

Look for a softening of finger pointing and an awakening of new tolerance. There will remain many systems for different cultures, as traditions and history are important to sustaining the integrity of culture. So there are many in the Middle East who would follow the prophet and they will continue, but with an increase of awareness. It will be the increase of awareness of what the prophet really wanted all along - unity and tolerance. The angel in the cave instructed him to "unify the tribes and give them the God of Israel." You're going to start seeing a softening of intolerance and the beginning of a new way of being.

Eventually, this will create an acknowledgement that says, "You may not believe the way we believe, but we honor you and your God. We honor our prophet and we will love you according to his teachings. We don't have to agree in order to love." How would you like that? The earth is not going to turn into one belief system. It never will, for Humans don't do that. There must be variety, and there must be the beauty of cultural differences. But the systems will slowly update themselves with increased awareness of the truth of a new kind of balance. So that's the first thing. Watch for these changes, dear ones. ...."