ASIA/PAKISTAN - The case of the young Muslim accused of blasphemy and died in prison is closed

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - The young Muslim, Nadeem Yousuf, 22 years old who died for reasons still unknown, while he was under police custody on charges of blasphemy (see Fides 03/12/2012) was buried yesterday in the town of Nankana Sahib. Muhammad Yousuf, Nadeem’s fateher, while saying he is certain that his son did not commit any form of blasphemy, has decided not to press charges against the police and not to pursue the case in court.
The lawyer, Mushtaq Gill, who followed the case in direct contact with the victim's family, confirms to Fides that the young man was a Muslim, of a Muslim family, and that he was not a Christian, as erroneously reported by agencies and the Pakistani mass media. Yesterday the funeral and burial of the victim was held in Nankana Sahib, according to Islamic rites. From information reported to Fides, the young man, mentally handicapped and also a drug addict, had been accused of burning pages of the Koran, but the charges were fabricated and probably the police were investigating.
Lawyer Gill told Fides: "The false charges against the young Muslim is a further demonstration that the blasphemy law affects all Pakistani citizens, of every religion. According to verified information, the victims are predominantly Muslims." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 04/12/2012)