AI is concerned that a number of people facing charges of blasphemy, or convicted on such charges have been detained solely for their real or imputed religious beliefs. Most of those charged with blasphemy belong to the Ahamdiyya community but Christians have increasingly been accused of blasphemy, among them a 13-year-old boy accused of writing blasphemous words on the walls of a mosque despite being totally illiterate. The following case histories are supplied: Anwar Masih, a Christian prisoner; Arshad Javed, reportedly mentally ill, sentenced to death; Gul Masih, a Christian, sentenced to death; Tahir Iqbal, a convert to Christianity, died in jail while on trial; Sawar Masih Bhatti, a Christian prisoner; Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan, Muslim social activist; Chand Barkat, a Christian acquitted of blasphemy but continuously harassed; Hafiz Farooq Sajjad, stoned to death; Salamat Masih, Manzoor Masih and Rehmat Masih, three Christians.
Pakistan: Use and abuse of the blasphemy laws
Topics
- Armed Conflict
- Armed Groups
- Arms Trade
- Censorship and Freedom of Expression
- Children
- Death Penalty
- Detention
- Discrimination
- Human Rights Defenders and Activists
- Justice Systems
- Killings and Disappearances
- Pakistan
- Press Freedom
- Prisoners of Conscience
- Religious Groups
- Report
- Research
- South Asia
- Torture and other ill-treatment
- Unfair Trials
- Unlawful Killings