Asia Bibi was found guilty of making derogatory remarks about Islam during an argument with neighbours
The Lahore High Court has upheld the death penalty against a Christian woman who was convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan 4 years ago, as her lawyers vowed to appeal.
Asia Bibi has been on death row since November 2010 after she was found guilty of making derogatory remarks about Islam during an argument with neighbours.
Ms Bibi consistently denied the allegations against her, saying they stemmed from an argument with a group of women over a pot of water.
Ms Bibi's lawyer, Naeem Shakir, said: "I was expecting the opposite decision. We will file an appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in a few days." Gulam Mustafa, the complainant's lawyer, said the court's decision was correct.
"Asia's lawyer tried to prove that the case was registered on a personal enmity but he failed to prove that," he said.
3 witnesses allegedly involved in the incident did not appear in court, he said. A prayer leader did appear, saying he did not witness the original altercation, but that Ms Bibi had confessed.
Ms Bibi's sentence in 2010 sparked condemnation.
2 prominent politicians - Punjab governor Salman Taseer and minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti - were murdered in 2011 after calling for reforms to the blasphemy law and describing Ms Bibi's trial as flawed.
Source: Reuters, October 16, 2014
Pakistani Christian Woman's Appeal of Death Sentence Is Rejected
The Lahore High Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld the death sentence of a Pakistani Christian woman in a high-profile blasphemy case and dismissed her appeal for acquittal.
The defendant, Asia Bibi, 47, a farmworker, was sentenced to death in 2010 after being convicted of blasphemy. She has denied the accusations, which she said stemmed from a dispute with Muslim co-workers.
Ms. Bibi now plans to appeal the decision in the country's Supreme Court, said her lawyer, Naeem Shakir. But given huge backlogs at the court, analysts said it would probably be at least 3 years before the appeal would be taken up.
The ruling was the latest chapter in a long ordeal for Ms. Bibi, whose case has focused international attention on how Pakistan's blasphemy laws have become a weapon against religious minorities.
It was also a factor in the 2011 assassination of Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab Province who vociferously campaigned for Ms. Bibi's release and for overhaul of the blasphemy codes. Religious conservatives were outraged by Mr. Taseer's advocacy, and he was shot dead by his police security guard in Islamabad. Months later, his son Shahbaz Ali Taseer was kidnapped by Taliban militants and his whereabouts is still unknown.
Meanwhile, Ms. Bibi has languished in prison, and successive governments have been reluctant to touch the issue.
Death sentences have rarely been carried out in blasphemy cases, but that is in part because such allegations have frequently led to deadly vigilante attacks on the accused or their lawyers.
The Lahore courtroom was packed with clerics and members of extremist groups who supported the prosecution, and they erupted in celebration upon hearing the 2-judge panel's decision to dismiss Ms. Bibi's appeal. "Let us celebrate by distributing sweets!" said 1 cleric who was reciting verses from the Quran throughout the almost 2 1/2-hour court proceeding.
"I am very happy," said Qari Salaam, a co-worker of Ms. Bibi's and the main complainant in the case. "The judges have given a verdict on merit, and Asia deserved it."
He and other farmworkers accused Ms. Bibi of shouting insults against the Prophet Muhammad. But she and her family deny that, saying the workers decided to lash out at her because a manager had ordered her to bring water out to the workers, and they refused to drink from bowls she had touched.
Joseph Francis from the Center for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement, an group that works for minority rights, called the ruling a bad decision that had been forced by religious extremists.
"The court had already made its mind to dismiss the appeal, and the presence of Muslim extremist groups in the court further undermined justice," Mr. Francis said.
Ms. Bibi's husband, Ashiq Masih, expressed disappointment after the verdict.
"We were hoping for some relief, but alas," Mr. Masih said as he left the court.
Source: New York Times, October 16, 2014
Upholding blasphemy death sentence against Christian woman 'a grave injustice'
A Pakistani court's decision to uphold the death sentence against a Christian woman convicted on blasphemy charges is a grave injustice, Amnesty International said.
The Lahore High Court today rejected the appeal against the death sentence imposed on Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad during an argument with a Muslim woman.
"This is a grave injustice. Asia Bibi should never have been convicted in the first place - still less sentenced to death - and the fact that she could pay with her life for an argument is sickening," said David Griffiths, Amnesty International's Deputy Asia Pacific Director.
"There were serious concerns about the fairness of Asia Bibi's trial, and her mental and physical health has reportedly deteriorated badly during the years she has spent in almost total isolation on death row. She should be released immediately and the conviction should be quashed."
Asia Bibi's lawyer said after today's verdict that he will file an appeal to the Supreme Court.
On 4 January 2011, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was killed by one of his security guards after campaigning for Asia Bibi and criticizing Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, an outspoken critic of the blasphemy laws, was killed by the Pakistani Taliban on 2 March 2011.
"The laws are often used to settle personal vendettas - both against members of minority religious groups and Muslims - while individuals facing charges are frequently targeted in mob violence. Those who speak out against the laws face terrible reprisals. However, the blasphemy laws violate international law and must be repealed or reformed immediately to meet international standards," said David Griffiths.
Source: Amnesty International, October 16, 2014