By Hojin Choi

Impunity Watch Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Asia Bibi, a Christian Pakistani woman, is taking her blasphemy case to the highest court of Pakistan. She was sentenced to death in 2010 for allegedly making derogatory expressions about the name of the Prophet Mohammed while having an argument with her Muslim co-workers. An intermediate level court rejected her appeal and upheld the decision.

Bibi is a mother of five and a resident of Punjab province in Pakistan. In 2009, she had an argument with her fellow workers. According to her, the workers refused to drink water in a bucket because she was not Muslim and because she had touched the bucket of water. She was arrested and accused under the blasphemy law which can impose death or life imprisonment according to Pakistan’s penal code. She had been jailed more than a year and sentenced to hang. In 2010, the Lahore High Court upheld the decision.

Bibi’s attorney, Naeem Shakir, told CNN that “there is no concrete evidence against Asia Bibi, and the courts are only relying on the statement of those two women, [the fellow workers.]” The attorney expected the Supreme Court’s relief for Bibi.

Daughters of Asia Bibi standing in front of their house with a photo of the mother (Reuters)

The blasphemy law has been the center of a huge controversy domestically and internationally in the wake of Bibi’s case. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI officially requested Bibi’s release. A group of human rights activists filed a petition to the U.N. Human Rights Council for her. Human Rights Watch pointed out that the law largely targets religious minorities in Pakistan and it is often manipulated to interfere with personal disputes. In fact, Bibi has been insisting that her fellow workers falsely incriminated her based on lies because they simply did not like her.

Amnesty International described her case as “a grave injustice.” The spokesperson said that she “should never have been convicted in the first place.” Amnesty International’s Deputy Asia Pacific Director, David Griffiths, added “those who speak out against the laws face terrible reprisals. However, the blasphemy laws violate international law and must be repealed or reformed immediately . . .”

There have been additional victims related to Bibi’s case. Shabaz Bhatti, who was Pakistan’s Minister of Minority Affairs, had investigated Bibi’s case and concluded that her charges were based on personal and religious enmity followed by a recommendation to release her. Bhatti also held a position against the blasphemy law. In 2011, she was assassinated by the Taliban as “a message to all of those who are against Pakistan’s blasphemy law.” Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province where Bibi is from, was killed by gun-shots from one of his own security guards. Accordingly, Taseer had opposed the blasphemy law and supported Bibi’s release.

Shakir, Bibi’s attorney, also expressed concerns about his own safety. During her trial, there were dozens of people who were against Bibi, and he did “feel threatened” even in the court.

Protesters demanding release of Asia Bibi (Reuters)

Spokesperson of Pakistan’s Presidential Office, Farahnaz Ispahani, delivered an opinion that Pakistan remains committed to protecting religious minorities. “Pakistan is a nation of many faiths and religions, and all Pakistanis, no matter what their religion, are equal under the law,” he said. He added that the president will issue a pardon “if necessary” after carefully examining the Bibi’s case. However, two prominent Muslim leaders of Pakistan threatened to call nationwide protests if the president pardons Bibi, “if the president pardons [her], we will raise our voices across the country until he is forced to take his decision back.”

For more information please see:

CNN – Pakistan president urged not to pardon Christian woman – 24 November 2010

CNN – Condemned Christian woman to take blasphemy case to top Pakistani court – 20 October 2014

Amnesty International – Pakistan: Upholding blasphemy death sentence against Christian woman ‘a grave injustice’ – 16 October 2014

Newsweek – Christian Pakistani Women Sentenced to Death Will Take Case to Highest Court – 23 October 2014

Author: Impunity Watch Archive