Persecuted church organisation Release International has launched a petition calling on the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, to repeal the nation’s blasphemy laws.
The release of the petition comes as the nation’s Supreme Court prepares to hear a final appeal next month in the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother who became the first female in the nation to be sentenced to death for the crime of blasphemy. Her case, which has made headlines around the world, centres around a dispute with Muslim co-workers which centres on drinking water. A price of 500,000 rupees has reportedly since been put on the farm labourer’s head and her family forced into hiding.
The petition calls for the Government of Pakistan to repeal the nation’s blasphemy laws and, in particular, section 295c which carries a mandatory death sentence. “These laws, which are frequently misused and foster religious intolerance, are incompatible with Pakistan’s aspiration of being a modern, democratic, Islamic state respected by the international community,” it says.
In a statement, Release International says Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are often invoked to “take revenge, incite violent attacks and eliminate rivals”. “[O]nce the cry of blasphemy has been raised, lives are at risk,” the organisation said in a statement. “Families have been murdered and Christians driven from their homes, and even when the courts have dismissed the charges, Christians have been shot by vigilantes.”
Paul Robinson, chief executive of the UK-based organisation, said abolishing blasphemy laws would help create a society where “every Pakistani citizen is free to exercise their faith and live in peace with their neighbours”.
As well as setting Asia Bibi free and guaranteeing her family’s safety, Mr Robinson said Pakistani authorities must “review every blasphemy case and repeal these notorious laws which target Christians and other minorities and are often invoked to whip up violent persecution.”
He said that should the Supreme Court uphold the death sentence for Asia Bibi, it “would be the darkest day for justice in the history of Pakistan”. “For justice to be upheld, Asia must be set free and these laws must be repealed.”
The latest call follows an earlier petition, A Call for Mercy, which was launched by Ms Bibi’s supporters. Calling for Ms Bibi’s release, it has so far garnered more than 700,000 signatures.
~ www.change.org/p/prime-minister-nawaz-sharif-repeal-pakistan-s-blasphemy-laws
~ www.callformercy.com
~ www.releaseinternational.org
