Tag: Asia Bibi

Asia Bibi put in solitary cell

October 16, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Human rights, Islamabad, Multan, Pakistan, Prisons, Punjab, Salmaan Taseer

Jailed Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi was moved into solitary confinement in the Multan Women’s Prison last week, following “genuine threats” to her life by angry supporters of Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy laws. “She could be killed by any inmate or even a prison guard, so we have to be careful,” a . . . Read More

Pakistan’s Supreme Court makes landmark judgment

October 14, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Diyat, Islamabad, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Mumtaz Qadri, Nawaz Sharif, Rawalpindi, Salmaan Taseer, Shahzad Masih, Shama Bibi, Sunni Tehreek

n Mumtaz Qadri was showered with rose petals by supporters for killing Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer over his criticism of the blasphemy laws.Getty Images In a landmark judgment on 7 October the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) upheld the death sentence of Malik Mumtaz Qadri, 30, who murdered the former . . . Read More

Qadri verdict a ‘victory over terrorism’

October 14, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Mumtaz Qadri, Salmaan Taseer, Taliban

The apex court in Pakistan has kept intact the death sentence of a man who murdered the former governor of the Punjab for seeking reforms in the blasphemy law and supporting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death for allegedly committing blasphemy. The governor, Salmaan Taseer, was shot and . . . Read More

Asia Bibi’s last chance for freedom

July 22, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Multan, Prophet Muhammad, Sawan Masih, Shahbaz Bhatti, Sheikhupura

Pakistani Christian Aasiya Noreen (known as Asia Bibi) has been allowed to take her appeal against her death penalty for blasphemy to Pakistan’s Supreme Court in the capital, Islamabad. Until the Supreme Court reaches its final decision, Noreen cannot be executed. Commentators today have praised the Supreme Court for its courage to . . . Read More

Asia Bibi made honorary Paris citizen

March 20, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Women

Asia Bibi, the first Christian woman to be sentenced to death under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, has been awarded an honorary citizenship of Paris by the city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo. The mayor’s statement said receiving the award is a “rare distinction granted to the world’s most emblematic defenders of human rights. . . . Read More

Charges relaxed for murderer of Asia Bibi defender

March 9, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Salmaan Taseer, Women

When Mumtaz Qadri confessed to the 2011 murder of Pakistani politician Salman Taseer, he said he did it because the Punjab governor had supported a Christian woman, Aasiya Noreen (also known as Asia Bibi), facing the death penalty for blasphemy. Qadri, who was Taseer’s bodyguard, was himself sentenced to death, . . . Read More

Fixing Pakistan’s ‘broken’ blasphemy laws

March 8, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Minorities, Pakistan, Pakistan Ulema Council, Rimsha Masih

Al-Jazeera at Pakistan’s volatile religious politics through the eyes of two Muslims trying to reform the country’s notorious anti-blasphemy laws. Attorney Saif-ul-Malook, for whom Aasiya Noreen (also known as Asia Bibi) is the latest of several clients he has defended against charges of offending Islam, lives in daily fear of an . . . Read More

Launch of new commission to address persecution

February 4, 2015 Global News -- No Particular Country Asia Bibi, London, Pakistan, Religious freedom

Asia Bibi’s case was just one of those highlighted by today’s launch in London of the Religious Liberty Commission to address the persecution of Christians around the world. The commission, which is made up of Open Doors, Release International, Christian Solidarity Worldwide and the Evangelical Alliance will allow those working on . . . Read More

Threatened Asia Bibi family make fresh appeal

February 4, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Pakistan

The husband of Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman on death row for nearly five years for blasphemy, has spoken about how the family’s lives are under constant threat. The law has “destroyed our lives”, Ashiq Masih told the BBC. “We get death threats. We can’t stay in one place . . . Read More

Three more cases in which Pakistani Christians accused of blasphemy

December 11, 2014 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Barelvi, Blasphemy, Kasur, Lahore, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan, Sharia

A brick kiln in Pakistan where 24 bonded-labourer Christian families narrowly escaped a mob attack in December 2014. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Three more cases of blasphemy accusations have emerged in Pakistan, even after a Christian couple’s beating to death and burning in a brick kiln after allegations of blasphemy horrified the world, including the metropolitan elite in the country. The Christian couple were killed over suspicions of desecrating the Qur’an on . . . Read More

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