jaja
18-06-03, 08:47
Blasphemy Law Charges Dropped
Christian shepherd acquitted because of lack of evidence
A five year long case against Aslam Masih, a poor Christian shepherd from Faisalabad district, has finally been dropped. The news comes to us via his defence lawyers from the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS). Masih was originally charged with ‘defaming the name of the Prophet Muhammad’ which carries a mandatory death sentence under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code. The accusation was that the illiterate Aslam Masih had written the defamatory words on an amulet which was then put round the neck of a dog, supposedly to determine the outcome of a dogfight. Villagers reacted to this story by gathering in the local mosque and persuading Mullah Qari Habibullah, a member of an Islamic militant group, to press charges.
The mob then sought out Aslam Masih, stabbed him in the back, beat him severely and dragged him to the local police station. The police registered the charges on 29 November 1998 without any investigation. In two previous court appearances he was given life sentences and he has also incurred a fine of 100,000 rupees (about £1,300). However on 4 June, the Lahore High Court Judge, Justice Najam uz-Zaman decided to throw the case out of court because of lack of evidence.
Blasphemy Law
Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code is often known as the ‘Blasphemy Law’. Section 295-B states that any person defiling or damaging a copy of the Qur’an can be sentenced to life imprisonment and Section 295-C states any person defaming the Islamic prophet Muhammad should be put to death. Because virtually no evidence is needed to bring an accusation other than the word of a Muslim witness the laws have often been misused to target Christians and other non-Muslim minorities in order to settle personal grudges or rivalries.
No one has yet been executed under the laws; however, once an accusation is made, the victim is forever guilty in the eyes of Islamic extremists. Four Christians accused of blasphemy have been assassinated by extremists since 1992, others have escaped attacks. In 1997 a judge was also killed for acquitting Christians charged with blasphemy. Sometimes the families of the accused have to leave their village or town and move in secret to a new area. Most Christians who have been accused and acquitted have had to leave Pakistan and come to the West after their release.
Christian shepherd acquitted because of lack of evidence
A five year long case against Aslam Masih, a poor Christian shepherd from Faisalabad district, has finally been dropped. The news comes to us via his defence lawyers from the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS). Masih was originally charged with ‘defaming the name of the Prophet Muhammad’ which carries a mandatory death sentence under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code. The accusation was that the illiterate Aslam Masih had written the defamatory words on an amulet which was then put round the neck of a dog, supposedly to determine the outcome of a dogfight. Villagers reacted to this story by gathering in the local mosque and persuading Mullah Qari Habibullah, a member of an Islamic militant group, to press charges.
The mob then sought out Aslam Masih, stabbed him in the back, beat him severely and dragged him to the local police station. The police registered the charges on 29 November 1998 without any investigation. In two previous court appearances he was given life sentences and he has also incurred a fine of 100,000 rupees (about £1,300). However on 4 June, the Lahore High Court Judge, Justice Najam uz-Zaman decided to throw the case out of court because of lack of evidence.
Blasphemy Law
Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code is often known as the ‘Blasphemy Law’. Section 295-B states that any person defiling or damaging a copy of the Qur’an can be sentenced to life imprisonment and Section 295-C states any person defaming the Islamic prophet Muhammad should be put to death. Because virtually no evidence is needed to bring an accusation other than the word of a Muslim witness the laws have often been misused to target Christians and other non-Muslim minorities in order to settle personal grudges or rivalries.
No one has yet been executed under the laws; however, once an accusation is made, the victim is forever guilty in the eyes of Islamic extremists. Four Christians accused of blasphemy have been assassinated by extremists since 1992, others have escaped attacks. In 1997 a judge was also killed for acquitting Christians charged with blasphemy. Sometimes the families of the accused have to leave their village or town and move in secret to a new area. Most Christians who have been accused and acquitted have had to leave Pakistan and come to the West after their release.