ASIA/PAKISTAN - False accusations of blasphemy towards 11 Christians

Friday, 19 December 2014

Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - Eleven Christians in Islamabad, including a Protestant Pastor, have been accused of blasphemy by a woman, Naseem Bibi, for revenge after a private dispute. The woman in fact had been denounced and reacted by accusing Christians of alleged blasphemy. As reported to Fides by Christian lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill, the woman, in the past Christian, converted to Islam about 20 years ago and married a Muslim man and had three children.
The woman told the police that Pastor Karamat Masih and 50 other Christians had raided her home and threatened her. Four of the accused were also arrested and are in police custody.
Lawyer Gill told Fides: "There are always more and more frequent cases where the blasphemy law is used to target religious minorities or to settle cases of disputes and private rivalries, or simply as an instrument of blackmail. The State must arrest and condemn those who formula false accusations". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/12/2014)


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