Updated 9.10am, 1st November, 2018
Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi has been acquitted of charges of blasphemy after eight years on death row.
The mother of five was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 and sentenced to hang. Bibi, also known as Aasiya Noreen, was accused of defiling the name of the Prophet Muhammad during a dispute with Muslims and fellow fruit pickers after angering them when she took a drink of water from a cup they used.
Asia Bibi.
On Wednesday morning, the three member bench of the Supreme Court released their decision of from her 2015 appeal in Islamabad. In a written judgement, Justice Asif Khosa reportedly said the two sisters who accused Bibi “had no regard for the truth” and “had a reason to level allegations against the appellant which could be untrue.”
“It is ironical that in the Arabic language the appellant’s name Asia means ‘sinful’ but in the circumstances of the present case she appears to be a person, in the words of Shakespeare’s King Lear, ‘more sinned against than sinning’,” he wrote.
The 47-year-old, whose case made headlines around the world, is being held in Adiala jail, in Rawalpindi, and will be freed when the court order arrives.
While protests have broken out in Pakistan in the wake of the news blocking some roads, those who had advocated for Bibi’s release expressed joy at the verdict.
Asia Bibi’s daughter, Eisham Ashiq, 18, reportedly told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need after the decision: “I am so happy. I want to thank God.”
Speaking through an interpreter, she added: “This is the most wonderful moment. I can’t wait to hug my mother and then celebrate with my family. I am grateful to God for listening to our prayers.”
ACN report that Asia Bibi’s husband, Ashiq Masih, also expressed his happiness at the news.
“We thank God very much that he’s heard our prayers – and the prayers of so many people who have longed for Asia Bibi’s release over all these years of suffering and anguish.”
Neville Kyrke-Smith, national director of Aid to the Church in Need (UK), described the news as “like the dawn of new hope for oppressed minorities”.
He saluted the courage of the judges in acquitting Asia Bibi in the face of fierce opposition from Islamist protestors and added: “It is important that justice is not just seen to be done but is done.”
David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA, reportedly said in a statement that “we are breathing a sigh of relief today”.
“These charges stemmed from her Christian identity as well as false accusations against her,” he said. “We are hopeful that Pakistan will now take additional steps to offer religious freedom and basic human rights throughout the country.”
Paul Robinson, CEO of UK-based organisation Release International, welcomed the verdict.
“Finally humanity and common sense have triumphed over extremism,” he said in a statement. “Asia was falsely accused because she was a Christian. Pakistan must act to protect the lives of this mother, her family and her lawyer. And Pakistan must take immediate action to repeal these notorious blasphemy laws, which are being used as an instrument of persecution against the country’s Christian minority.”
Robinson added that a fatwa which had been issued by 150 Muslim clerics warning the Pakistan Government not to release Bibi were “no idle threats”.
“Release is concerned for her safety and hopes that Britain and other nations will offer Asia and her entire family asylum,” he said. “It would be a tragedy if Asia, who has spent so many years on death row, will now be forced to live apart from those she loves.”
Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of UK-based religious freedom advocacy CSW, welcomed the news of the acquittal and called on Pakistan’s Government “to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to ensure the safety of Asia Bibi, her family, the Christian community and all involved in her case following explicit threats from certain extremists groups in the country”.
“The false allegation of blasphemy against Mrs Bibi highlights the blatant abuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws that have been used to harass and intimidate religious minorities and Muslims alike. In light of this judgement, we call on the government to implement much needed procedural amendments to prevent further misuse of the laws.”
