“Blasphemy accusations are no joke in Pakistan. They can mean years languishing in prison without trial and death sentences that cause huge distress to the accused and their families."
Source/Credit: Pakistan Christian Post
By PCP | July 25, 2013
London: July 25, 2013. (PCP) The Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) is deeply concerned by reports that a Christian couple in Gojra have been charged with blasphemy for text messages sent to a local Muslim.
According to a report by Pakistan Today, 43-year-old Shafqat Masih and his wife Shagufta, 40, were accused of sending blasphemous text messages to Rana Muhammad Ejaz.
A case was registered by the Gojra City Police under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which make derogatory remarks against the Prophet Muhammad punishable by death or life imprisonment. The police reportedly verified that the SIM used to send the text messages was registered to Shagufta but Shafqat has admitted using it in his phone to send the messages to Ejaz.
However, there are concerns that Shafqat’s confession was made under duress in order to stop extremist mobs rampaging. A local Christian human rights advocate, who asked not to be named, was reported in Pakistan Today as saying that Shafqat claims to have been forced by police to record his confession before the magistrate.
Gojra was previously the scene of horrific violence against Christians in 2009, when Muslims attacked the community, burning eight Christians alive and torching around 40 houses and a church. The attack was sparked by allegations that Gojra Christians had desecrated the Koran, also a crime under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
Nasir Saeed, UK coordinator of CLAAS, said the accusations against Shafqat and Shagufta must be thoroughly investigated.
“Blasphemy accusations are no joke in Pakistan. They can mean years languishing in prison without trial and death sentences that cause huge distress to the accused and their families, who often have to go into hiding just to avoid extremists taking the law into their own hands,” he said “A thorough and unbiased investigation is necessary to ascertain the facts and whether blasphemy has indeed been committed or whether, as is often the case, this is simply another false accusation of blasphemy being used to persecute two Christians because of their religious beliefs.”
Mr Saeed warned that Christians were being increasingly accused of sending blasphemous text messages. Most recently, Sajjad Masih who was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 200,000 rupees (around £1,300) by a Gojra court two weeks ago.
He continued: “Accusations against Christians of blasphemy by text message reflect an alarming trend in Pakistan. The accusations are often made on the basis of little or no evidence, and the punishment far outweighs the crime. The Pakistani government must take immediate steps to remedy this bias and injustice at the heart the legal system. The country’s laws should be there to protect Christians, not enable others to destroy their lives out of religious prejudice.”
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