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May 23, 2007   Christians in Pakistan face severe threats from "Taliban"

Christians in North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan are facing fresh threats, including a message signed by the “Taliban’s Detonative Department”, after rejecting demands to convert to Islam.

The message was chalked on a wall opposite a church in Charsadda. It was signed by the “Taliban’s Detonative Department” and reiterated an ultimatum previously circulated to the Christian community in a letter. The letter warned the Christians to convert to Islam by 17 May 2007 or face “dire consequences and bomb explosions”. The Christian community in Charsadda, numbering approximately 500 people, have rejected the ultimatum.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW) sources, similar threats have been made to a Bible School in Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province.

On 18 May, a day after the deadline for conversion to Islam expired, more than 100 Christians in Charsadda signed a letter to President Pervez Musharraf and the Chief Minister of North-West Frontier Province, urging the authorities to provide proper security for the area in light of death threats made by extremists. The letter stated that some Christians have already fled the area due to lack of security.

According to the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), “Islamic radicals are trying to impose Taliban-style social edicts in northwestern Pakistan”. They added that the extremists “are growing bolder, bombing audio and video shops, threatening barbers for trimming beards and warning hotels to remove televisions from guest rooms.” Last month, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, “narrowly escaped” a suicide attack that killed 28 people in Charsadda, APMA reports.

Minorities in Charsadda are seeking ways to resolve the tension peacefully. APMA has established a Charsadda Peace Committee involving local Muslim and Christian leaders, to promote “inter-faith harmony, unity and tolerance”. APMA has also appealed to Islamic scholars and Muslim leaders to condemn the threats to Christians.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s National Director, Stuart Windsor, said: “We are deeply concerned about the situation in North-West Frontier Province, and we continue to monitor developments very closely. We urge the Pakistani authorities to do all they can to protect the Christians in Charsadda and throughout the country, and to prevent an outbreak of violence.”

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April 27, 2007  Christians targeted in Pakistan, twelve year-old gang-raped on Easter

A 12 year-old Christian girl was kidnapped and gang-raped by four Muslim men in Lahore, Pakistan on Easter Day. Less than a week later, a Christian man in Jamshoro district was threatened by a mob following allegations of Blasphemy.

According to a report from the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), Shaheena Masih was kidnapped at around 10am on 8 April as she went to a shop to buy her father some juice. The rest of her family were at church, but Shaheena and her elderly father had stayed at home because he was unwell.

On her way to the shops, four men grabbed Shaheena and placed a handkerchief over her mouth. She fell unconscious, but when she woke up she found herself in a factory. The four men raped her, and then locked her in a room. One of the rapists allegedly told his accomplices: “Don’t hesitate to rape a Christian girl. Even if she dies, no one will get us. Her poor parents cannot pursue us.”

According to APMA, while in the locked room Shaheena found a mobile phone lying on the floor, and called her brother. However, while she was talking to him, her kidnappers entered the room, seized the telephone and beat her very badly. She was then taken to a brothel.

Shaheena was rescued by Nishtar colony police officers after her family had traced the mobile phone call and located the address of the owner. He confessed to the kidnap, and assisted the police in returning Shaheena to her family. APMA claims she returned to her home two days after she was kidnapped, “bleeding profusely and in a pathetic condition”. Shaheena was taken to Lahore General Hospital for a medical examination, but the police refused to give her family the medical report.

The four men were arrested and the police registered a case against them under Article 496-A/376 of the Pakistan Penal Code. However, three were subsequently released and police are reportedly under pressure from the kidnappers not to pursue the case.

In a separate incident, Sattar Masih, aged 28, was charged under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws on 13 April 2007. A piece of paper with his photograph and insulting words against the Prophet Mohammad in Urdu was allegedly found in the donation boxes outside the mosque in Kotri, Jamshoro district, following prayers.

A Muslim mob marched to Masih’s home and threatened to kill him, but local police intervened and took him to the police station. Mr Masih has allegedly been tortured into offering a confession, and a case of blasphemy under Sections 295A and 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code have been filed against him. He told APMA: “How can I write this blasphemous note with my picture and name on it, when I know that the punishment for the blasphemer is death?”

Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the rape of this 12 year old girl. We offer our deepest sympathies to Shaheena and her family, and we urge the Pakistani authorities to ensure that justice is done and the perpetrators of this crime be brought to justice. The rape of a little girl is terrible in any circumstances, but it is made all the more horrifying by the fact that she was repeatedly gang-raped on Easter Day, a day which for Christians should be one of celebration. We are also deeply disappointed that the Blasphemy law is again being used to target religious minorities in Pakistan, We hope the Pakistani authorities will repeal these unjust laws, which require almost no evidence and therefore are wide open to abuse. ”

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December 21, 2006   Urgent Action: Pakistan

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May 24, 2006  URGENT ACTION: Appeal for Prayers for Persecuted Christians in Pakistan

Dear Friends,

The Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Organization has issued an appeal to churches and Christian communities around the world to join them on Sunday, 6 August 2006 during their worship in praying for the persecuted church in Pakistan. We are therefore inviting you and your church to join with us in this expression of solidarity with Christians in Pakistan as part of your Sunday service.

Whilst Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees every citizen the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion, the reality for Christians and other minorities is often very different. Using the blasphemy laws to justify their actions Muslim extremists, terrorists and religious leaders have attacked churches and killed Christians throughout the country. In one incident in November 2005, 3,000 militant Islamists attacked Christians in Sangla Hill and destroyed Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and United Presbyterian churches. More recently, in February of this year, churches and Christian schools were targeted in protests over the publications of an anti-Islamic cartoon in Denmark, leaving two elderly women injured and many homes and properties destroyed.

Often these attacks committed under the blasphemy law have very little to do with the issues that surround this legislation. Instead the charges are motivated by many different reasons including economic rivalry, personal enmity and religious hatred. Unfortunately very little evidence is needed to make a charge under the blasphemy laws and it is very difficult for non-Muslims to successfully contest the accusations. Even the judicial system struggles to counter such acts with blasphemy cases attracting scores of agitators disrupting court proceedings, shouting slogans and demanding the death penalty.

CSW and the Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Association are both engaged in lobbying the Pakistan Government, the British Government and the EU to help protect religious freedom and guarantee the safety of majority groups in Pakistan. We recognize however, the importance of underpinning all this work in prayer and ask that you would join with us in praying for Pakistan on Sunday 6 August.

Please pray in particular for the following issues highlighted by the Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Association:

• The thousands of children in Pakistan who are struggling for survival

• The hundreds of young Christian girls who are gang raped and subjected to forced conversion into Islam

• The network of Churches in Pakistan who provide hope and life for 10 million Christians in Pakistan

• For the Government of Pakistan to provide protection to Christians and Muslims from terrorists

• Those who wish to destroy the pluralistic character of Pakistan's multi-faith society

• Pakistan's security, stability, peace and progress which demands faith, unity and discipline.

Thank you for your support

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November 5, 2004   Pakistani religious minorities say blasphemy law reforms not enough

Religious minorities and women in Pakistan continue to face severe persecution, despite reformist rhetoric by the President, Pervez Musharraf.

Minorities regard proposals for procedural reform of the notorious blasphemy laws, introduced to the National Assembly last week, as meaningless and dangerous, because they create the impression of reform without any change in reality.

A delegation from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) returned this week from a fact-finding visit to Pakistan , where they met former blasphemy prisoners in hiding, as well as church leaders, Parliamentarians, human rights activists, lawyers and women victims of sexual harassment and violence. 

Activists face severe threats from the Pakistani authorities and Islamic extremists. One prominent campaigner for the rights of religious minorities told CSW: "We Christians are living among the hunting dogs. They want to see us dead. People who criticize the authorities, who are bold and active, are on a hit list." A lawyer who has represented many people, Muslim and non-Muslim, accused of blasphemy, receives regular death threats. After one case, his car was stopped by militant Islamists who beat him, held a gun to his head and warned: "We will not leave you. You are an enemy of Islam."

The CSW team met former blasphemy prisoner Aslam Masih, who spent almost five years in jail under two life sentences for blasphemy. He endured severe torture and beatings, and was held in solitary confinement. But even though he was acquitted in June 2003, he has had to live in hiding ever since. Anyone charged with blasphemy in Pakistan , even if they are found innocent, becomes a target for Islamic extremists for the rest of their lives. Aslam Masih's lawyer said: "He has no choice but to live in hiding. He lives in danger. A normal life is not possible for a former blasphemy prisoner in this society, even if he has been acquitted."

A fresh danger to minorities has emerged in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), which is governed by the pro-Taliban extremist group, the Muttahia Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). The MMA Government in the province has already introduced Shari'a law, and has confirmed its intention to implement the Hisba Act, which would impose Islamic practices on the province, despite reservations by the Council on Islamic Ideology. The legislation was described to CSW by NWFP Senator Zahid Khan of the Awami National Party, a liberal democratic party, as "Mullah martial law". The Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, I.A. Rehman, argues that the law will create "a vigilante force that will interfere in ordinary people's lives. The weaker elements in society - women, minorities, children and workers - will be hit hardest. It will create a climate of fear."

The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), a prominent human rights advocacy organization representing all religious minorities, has launched a campaign against the enforcement of Shar'ia law and the Hisba Act in NWFP. APMA has organized protests, press conferences, seminars and rallies to raise awareness. As a result, activists such as APMA Chairman Shahbaz Bhatti have received threats from extremists and warned to stop the campaign. APMA plans to challenge the introduction of Shar'ia law and the Hisba Act in the Supreme Court.

CSW also met Muslim and Christian women who have been targets of rape, domestic violence and the threat of 'honor killings'. Seven-year old Sharee Komal, a Christian, was raped and tortured by a Muslim man on May 29, because she is a Christian. Discovered near a graveyard, covered in blood, Sharee remains traumatized. Her mother told CSW: "I thought she was dead. The man tried to kill her, and she was badly beaten around the head."

CSW is campaigning for the repeal of the blasphemy laws, and urges President Musharraf to use his authority to prevent the implementation of the Hisba Act in NWFP.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The blasphemy laws, introduced by General Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan 's former military ruler, in 1985 are detailed in Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Section 295A refers to "deliberate and malicious acts" intended to insult "religious beliefs", and is punishable by imprisonment of up to ten years. Section 295B applies specifically to "defiling of the Holy Koran" and carries a life sentence. Section 295C relates to "use of derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet [Mohammad]" and is punishable by death. The law requires only the testimony of one Muslim against another person, and therefore it is widely misused to settle scores and persecute minorities. According to the National Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops Conference, between 1986 and 2003 at least 280 blasphemy cases were registered. Of these, 254 cases were against Muslims; 203 Ahmadis; 78 Christians; 8 Hindus. There are currently over 30 blasphemy cases under trial or awaiting trial, including several Christians such as Pervez Masih, Ranjha Masih, Shahbaz Masih, Augustine "Kingri" Masih and Asif and Amjad Masih.

President Pervez Musharraf has called for reform of the blasphemy laws, but proposals published so far only offer procedural reform. Under the draft amendment to Section 295C, no police officer below the rank of Superintendent shall have the authority to investigate blasphemy accusations. But as human rights groups point out, the police will still be susceptible to bribery, corruption, intimidation and religious extremism. The root problem in the law is the vague definition, and the fact that, as the Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan noted, it "overlooks the question of intent".

Blasphemy suspects are targets for extremist violence during trial, imprisonment and after their release. On May 28, this year Samuel Masih, aged 32, was beaten with a brick cutter by a police officer, and died of his injuries. He was awaiting trial for blasphemy. "I offered my religious duty for killing the man. I am spiritually satisfied and ready to face the consequences," said the policeman who killed him. On August 24, 2003 Naseem Bibi was beaten to death in Kot Lakhpat Jail, three months after she had been detained on blasphemy charges. In 2002, Mushtaq Zafar was shot dead in Lahore soon after he left a court hearing. Justice Mian Nasir Akhtar of the Lahore High Court said in 1999 that those accused of blasphemy should be killed without trial.

The proposed Hisba Act in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) will lead to the "Talibanisation" of the province, according to its opponents. The legislation, which the NWFP Government may try to implement as early as next month, will create a position of 'Mohtaseb' or Shari'a judge, whose decisions cannot be challenged in non-Shari'a courts. The law will also require the establishment of mosques in all government and public buildings, including shopping centres, schools and hospitals.

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September 6, 2004  Second Pakistani Christian tortured to death by police in four months  

Another Christian has died in Pakistan as a result of severe torture at the hands of the police. This is the third murder of a Pakistani Christian this year, and the second carried out by the police.

Nasir Masih, aged 26, was arrested on false charges of theft on August 16, and died three days later after sustaining 20 injuries. According to his father, Mukhtar Masih, Nasir was taken from his home in Baldia, Siekhupura, 45 kilometers from Lahore , by a group of Muslims, and a few hours later his family was informed by the police that he had been arrested and charged with theft. The accusation had been made by one of the group which took Nasir from his home.

"This is a conspiracy based on religious enmity to kill my son," Mukhtar Masih told the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance. "My son cannot have been involved in any theft."

A case has been registered against ten people, including six policemen, for allegedly torturing Nasir Masih to death, on the orders of the District Police Officer Shahid Iqbal. No arrests have yet been made. "I will knock on every door to get justice for my son," Mukhtar Masih said.

Nasir's murder follows the deaths in May this year of Samuel Masih and Javed Anjum. Samuel Masih, charged under the blasphemy law, was beaten by a police officer while he lay in a hospital suffering from tuberculosis. Javed Anjum was tortured to death by Muslims from a madrassah (Islamic school).

Hundreds of Christians protested Nasir Masih's murder by blocking the Siekhupura to Lahore road on August 20. Police responded to the protest with a baton charge and firing in the air, which led to several protestors being injured. Police beat up and arrested Pastor Joel Raja and Pastor Noel Cecil, who were preparing to lead Nasir Masih's funeral, along with 15 others. The two pastors and five others have been released, but ten further people remain in police custody. Police have also warned the local Christian community, particularly Haroon Fateh, a lawyer representing Nasih Masih's family, not to pursue the case against the police. About a dozen Christian protestors have been charged with suspending traffic and rioting.

CSW is calling for the repeal of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood Ordinances, and for the reform of the madrassahs.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Christians in Pakistan represent two per cent of the population.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, a bill proposing amendments to the Hudood Ordinances and the blasphemy laws has been referred by the National Assembly to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice. These reforms were proposed by President Pervez Musharraf in a speech in June, in which he called for 'scrutiny' of the blasphemy laws and an end to 'honor' killings.

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July 15, 2004    Pakistani government drafts bill to revise discriminatory laws

In the face of a growing international campaign for the repeal of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood Ordinances, the Pakistani Government announced last week that it would introduce a new bill to revise these laws.

The draft 'Criminal Law (Amendment) Act' will revise the Hudood Ordinances and the blasphemy laws, and criminalize so-called 'honor' killings. The news was announced on July 8 by Pakistan 's Justice Minister, Raza Hayat Hiraj, who said the draft would be presented to the Cabinet for approval. It was subsequently tabled in the National Assembly, and, according to CSW's source, is now with the Council of Islamic Ideology. The bill was drafted with input from the Supreme Court, which has already ruled that 'honor killings' should be considered as murder.

The Government's move to reform these laws comes after the killings of several Christians in recent months, including Samuel Masih, accused of blasphemy, and Javed Anjum, murdered by maulvis (mullahs) at a madrassa (Islamic school). International pressure has mounted on the Pakistani authorities to take action to curb religious intolerance, and last month President Pervez Musharraf called for 'scrutiny' of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood ordinances, and an end to 'honor killings'.

The Hudood Ordinances, introduced in 1979, deal with Islamic laws relating to criminal acts. These include the requirement that a married woman who has been raped must provide four Muslim male witnesses otherwise the rape is considered adultery. 

Cecil Chaudhry, a leading campaigner for human rights and religious freedom in Pakistan, and a member of the Catholic Church's Justice and Peace Commission, told CSW that the proposed draft bill does not go far enough: "The stand of the women of Pakistan, and the non-Muslim minorities, has been to call for the total repeal of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood ordinances. The total repeal of these laws was also the recommendation of the Women's Commission formed by the government itself."

In regard to the move to declare 'honor killings' as a crime, Mr Chaudhry said there was no need for new legislation. Existing laws under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code already provided for the crime of murder, punishable with the death penalty. "Murder is murder, and honor killings are murder, so Section 302 already covers this crime," he argued.

The move to reform the law is likely to draw fierce opposition from Islamic militant groups. The Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alliance of six Islamic parties in the National Assembly, urged the Government not to table a bill until a consensus had been reached, although a spokesman said he opposed the custom of 'Karo-Kari' or 'honor killings'.

Mervyn Thomas, CSW's Chief Executive, welcomed the draft bill, but urged the Pakistani Government to go further. "Hundreds of people of all religions, including Muslims and Christians, have suffered unimaginable injustices and danger as a result of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood ordinances. We are pleased that the Pakistani authorities are now taking steps to address the discrimination, persecution and killings that have resulted from these unjust laws, but we do not believe that the laws can be revised or reformed. We stand with the women and the minorities of Pakistan in urging the Government to completely repeal these laws, and create a new atmosphere of religious freedom and tolerance."

NOTES TO EDITORS

Pakistan has a population of 150 million, 96 per cent of whom are Muslim. Islam is the state religion, but the Constitution provides for religious freedoms. About two percent of the population are Christians and two percent are Hindus.

For more than 20 years, the blasphemy laws under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code have been widely misused and caused fear and suffering. It is not only Christians whose security is jeopardized by these laws. Other minorities, such as the Ahmadis, and indeed Muslims themselves are affected by the legislation. It only requires the testimony of one Muslim man to bring charges against another person for blasphemy, and so the law has been used as a tool in disputes that have nothing to do with religion.  The ultimate penalty is death, although no one has been executed under the laws.

There are currently 75 blasphemy cases awaiting or undergoing trial. These include 59 Muslims, three Ahmadis, three Hindus and ten Christians. The Christians include Parvez Masih, Anwar Kenneth and Augustine Ashiq 'Kingri' Masih.

Since 1986, a total of 579 people have been charged under the blasphemy laws. The majority of these, at least 289, are Muslims, while 203 are Ahmadis. At least 79 Christians have been charged, including Tahir Iqbal, a Christian convert from Islam, arrested in 1992 and poisoned to death in jail. Although the death penalty has never been carried out by the authorities, blasphemy suspects face danger from extremists, even if they are acquitted. Niamat Ahmer, a teacher, poet and writer, was murdered by extremists in 1992, while Bantu Masih, aged 80, was stabbed and killed in the presence of the police in 1992, and Mukhtar Masih, aged 50, was tortured to death in police custody. In 1994, Salamat Masih, aged 12, and Rehmat Masih, aged 42, and Manzoor Masih, aged 37, were fired on in front of the Lahore High Court by extremists, after the former two had been acquitted of blasphemy. Manzoor Masih died on the spot, while Salamat and Rehmat sustained serious injuries. One of the judges in that trial, Arif Iqbal Bhatti, was later murdered. The Senior Judge of Lahore High Court, Justice Nazir Akhtar, has said in a public statement that "it is a religious obligation to kill the blasphemer on the spot without trial". That illustrates how dangerous the climate is in Pakistan under this law. The Government and police have failed to protect those accused, and the law has only led to an increase in religious intolerance and violence.

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July 8, 2004   Urgent: A call to prayer for Pakistan - Sunday, 18 July

Dear Friends,

In recent weeks at least three Christians in Pakistan have been killed. Samuel Masih, accused of blasphemy, was killed by a policeman while he was in hospital suffering from tuberculosis, Javed Anjum was severely tortured by Maulvis (Mullahs) from a madrassa and died as a result of his injuries, and preacher George Masih was also killed. In addition, Christians in Quetta, Baluchestan province, received threatening letters and one pastor was kidnapped and tortured, though he later escaped. In addition, several Christian women have been raped, including a two and a half year old and a seven year old. Previous CSW Urgent Action campaigns and press releases have detailed these incidents.

Christians face persecution in Pakistan at the hands of extremist Islamists, and also as a result of the misuse of the Blasphemy Laws. Since 1986, at least 79 Christians have faced blasphemy charges. At least 10 are currently awaiting trial. These include Parvez Masih, Anwar Kenneth and Augustine Ashiq 'Kingri' Masih. Many Muslims also suffer under the Blasphemy Laws - 289 have been charged since 1986, and 59 are currently awaiting trial.

The Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Organization in Bradford has called for a day of prayer in churches around Britain on July 18, and their call has been endorsed by the Bishop of Bradford, the Rt. Rev. David James, the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt. Rev. Nigel McCullouch, the former Bishop of Bradford, the Rt. Rev. David Smith, the Team Rector of Bradford, Rev. Canon George Moffat, Chair of the West Yorkshire Methodist District, Rev. Peter Whittaker, the Archdeacon of Craven Ven. Malcolm Grudy, and the Vicar-General of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds, Monsignor Kieran Heskin. Several hundred churches across the UK have already pledged to support this in prayer.

On behalf of CSW, I would like to appeal to you to involve your church in this day of prayer. It need not involve a lot of work - all we are asking is that during your regular Sunday service, you pray specifically for Pakistan. Please remember in prayer all Christians, but particularly those facing blasphemy charges; for the families of Samuel Masih, Javed Anjum and George Masih; for the reform or repeal of the Blasphemy Laws; for reform of the madrassahs; and for an end to religious intolerance and violence in Pakistan. Pray for judges and police as they exercise their authority in blasphemy cases. Pray too for President Musharraf, who has spoken up in favor of 'scrutiny' of the Blasphemy Laws and the Hudood Ordinances, and for reform of the madrassahs and an end to so-called 'honor killings'. Pray that the President will put his words into action, and will have wisdom, courage and protection in seeking to counter extremism and religious intolerance. As the organizers of this call to prayer have said, "we pray especially for all the churches of Pakistan who provide hope and life for 10 million Christians in Pakistan."

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June 1, 2004  Pakistani Christian dies - CSW urges supporters to pray and campaign  

Dear Friends,

Last week I wrote to ask you to join us in campaigning for the repeal of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, and to pray for Samuel Masih. Samuel, a Pakistani Christian, was in a coma as a result of an attack, reportedly by a policeman.

I am sorry to have to tell you that Samuel, 32, died in Lahore last Friday, May 28. He had been accused of blasphemy and was awaiting trial when he contracted tuberculosis and was admitted to hospital. He was under police guard in hospital when he was reportedly attacked by a policeman with a brick cutter. He is the second Pakistani Christian to have died at the hands of Islamists that we have reported in the past month.

Please pray for Samuel's family, and for other Christians in Pakistan. If you have not already written to your member of Congress as requested in our Urgent Action last week, I would appeal to you to do so urgently, using the information we have already sent out, but of course now mentioning Samuel's tragic death. For your convenience the information is repeated below.

One of our sources in Pakistan summed up the seriousness of the situation by saying: "This tragic incident proves the hate of Islamic extremists towards the Christians of Pakistan. Many Christians have been killed and many are in prison facing a situation of life and death under this blasphemy law. This draconian law is a death warrant for the Christians of Pakistan. The government, police authorities, courts and Pakistan establishment have failed to protect the lives of blasphemy prisoners. It is a need of time to abolish this unjust law."

SAMPLE LETTER 

Write to your Senator at U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510, or your Representative at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.  (Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to find out your Congressperson’s name).

Please copy your letter to:

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Fax: (202) 261-8577 
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Email: secretary@state.gov

Dear ___________

I am writing to bring to your attention the issue of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, and to ask you to raise this matter with the US and Pakistani Governments.

For more than 20 years the blasphemy laws, under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code, have been in place and during that time many people of all religious backgrounds have suffered injustice and violence as a result. The blasphemy laws have been widely abused, and in some cases have led to extrajudicial killings by Islamic militants.

In the most recent case, Samuel Masih, a 32-year-old Christian, has died after allegedly being attacked by a policeman. He was due to face trial for blasphemy, accused of throwing waste against the wall of a mosque. Last August he was beaten up by a Muslim prayer leader and others, and then handed over to the police, who arrested him on August 23, 2003. He was remanded in custody in Lahore Central Jail, where he remained until May 22 this year. He was then transferred to Gulab Devi Hospital, suffering from tuberculosis. A police guard was provided for his security in the hospital, but on May 24 at 4.30am, a police constable attacked him with a brick cutter. He died of his injuries on May 28.

A fact-finding team investigated the incident and was told by the police that the constable who attacked Samuel had told them that his faith compelled him to try to kill Samuel. "I have offered my religious duty for killing the man. I'm spiritually satisfied and ready to face the consequences," he is reported to have said.

Samuel's father, Mr. Emanuel, says his family has faced threats. "I do not believe that he committed blasphemy," he told our source. "It is a wrong allegation against my son. We were threatened and harassed and warned that if we will pursue his case, we will face dire consequences. That is why we were not pursuing his case."

Samuel Masih was not the first person charged with blasphemy to face serious threats to his life. In 1992, Tahir Iqbal, a Christian convert from Islam, was poisoned to death in jail. Niamat Ahmer, a teacher, poet and writer, was murdered by extremists in 1992, accused of blasphemy. Bantu Masih, aged 80, was stabbed and killed in the presence of the police in 1992, and Mukhtar Masih, aged 50, was tortured to death in police custody. In 1994, Salamat Masih, aged 12, Manzoor Masih aged 37 and Rehmat Masih, aged 42, were fired on in front of the Lahore High Court by extremists, after they had been acquitted of blasphemy. Manzoor Masih died on the spot, while Salamat and Rehmat sustained serious injuries. One of the judges in that trial, Arif Iqbal Bhatti, was later murdered.

The President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, has recently called for scrutiny of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood Ordinances, and called for an end to so-called 'honor' killings. Please would you write directly to the President, expressing appreciation for his willingness to consider a review of the laws, but urge him to go further and repeal the laws altogether. I would also be grateful if you would take this issue up with the Secretary of State, urging him to encourage the Pakistani Government to repeal the blasphemy laws. Your support in this could be critical, and I would be very grateful for your help.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,

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May 28, 2004   Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy in critical condition after attack

Another Christian accused of blasphemy in Pakistan has been savagely attacked in the name of religion, this time allegedly by a policeman.

Despite being under police protection, Samuel Masih, 32, was hit around the head with a brick cutter, having been admitted to hospital with tuberculosis. He now lies in a coma, suffering from serious head injuries.

Samuel Masih was accused of throwing waste against the wall of a mosque and was beaten up last August by a Muslim prayer leader and others in Lahore, and then handed over to the police. He was arrested on August 23, 2003 and held in Lahore Central Jail, where he remained until May 22 when he was hospitalized with tuberculosis. A police guard was provided for his security in the hospital, but on May 24 at 4.30am, a police constable attacked him.

A fact-finding team investigated the incident and was told by the police that the constable who attacked Samuel had told them that his faith compelled him to try to kill Samuel. "I have offered my religious duty for killing the man. I'm spiritually satisfied and ready to face the consequences," he is reported to have said.

Samuel Masih's father, Mr. Emanuel, says his family has faced threats. "I do not believe that he committed blasphemy," he told our source. "It is a wrong allegation against my son. We were threatened and harassed and warned that if we will pursue his case, we will face dire consequences. That is why we were not pursuing his case. I am very much worried for my son. I want to see [him] alive. Kindly pray for his life."

The attack on Samuel Masih is the latest in a string of recent incidents of Islamist-led violence in Pakistan. Earlier in May, 23-year-old Christian Javed Anjum died as a result of torture by Islamic militants, and Christian leaders in Quetta, Baluchistan province, received threatening letters. One pastor, Wilson Fazal, was kidnapped and tortured, although he subsequently escaped. Other Christians have gone into hiding.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has campaigned for many years for the repeal of the blasphemy laws. Last week, in a significant speech on human rights, Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf called for a review of these laws. However, he has so far stopped short of a full repeal and CSW has asked supporters to encourage him to take this step.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Pakistan has a population of 150 million, 96 per cent of whom are Muslim. Islam is the state religion, but the constitution provides for religious freedoms. 1.96 per cent of the population are Christians and 2.02 per cent Hindus.

For more than 20 years, the Blasphemy laws under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code have been widely misused and caused fear and suffering. It is not only Christians whose security is jeopardized by these laws. Other minorities, such as the Ahmadis, and indeed Muslims themselves are affected by the legislation. It only requires the testimony of one Muslim man to bring charges against another person for blasphemy, and so the law has been used as a tool in disputes that have nothing to do with religion. The ultimate penalty is death, although no one has been executed under the laws.

Samuel Masih is not the first person charged with blasphemy to face serious threats to his life. In 1992, Tahir Iqbal, a Christian convert from Islam, was poisoned to death in jail. Niamat Ahmer, a teacher, poet and writer, was murdered by extremists in 1992, accused of blasphemy. Bantu Masih, aged 80, was stabbed and killed in the presence of the police in 1992, and Mukhtar Masih, aged 50, was tortured to death in police custody. In 1994, Salamat Masih, aged 12, Manzoor Masih aged 37 and Rehmat Masih, aged 42, were fired on in front of the Lahore High Court by extremists, after they had been acquitted of blasphemy. Manzoor Masih died on the spot, while Salamat and Rehmat sustained serious injuries. One of the judges in that trial, Arif Iqbal Bhatti, was later murdered.

The Senior Judge of Lahore High Court, Justice Nazir Akhtar, has said in a public statement that "it is a religious obligation to kill the blasphemer on the spot without trial". That illustrates how dangerous the climate is in Pakistan under this law. The Government and police have failed to protect those accused, and the law has only led to an increase in religious intolerance and violence.

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May 24, 2004   Urgent action requested for Pakistan

Dear Friends,

I am writing to ask you to help us by writing to the President of Pakistan and his Government concerning the recent persecution of Christians in Quetta, Baluchistan province.

Just over two weeks ago, we issued a press release announcing the tragic death of a young Christian man, Javed Anjum, aged 19, who had been severely tortured by a teacher and students of a madrassah (Islamic seminary) at Toba Tek Singh, Punjab. He was abducted on April 17, and died of his injuries on May 2. According to the statement he made on his death bed, Javed Anjim claimed he was told to convert to Islam, and when he refused, he was subjected to brutal torture.

Once the perpetrators of the crime were identified, the local police were initially reluctant to register a case against them, because of the influence of religious parties. But on May 5 arrests were made, and a court hearing is expected in the next two weeks. It has been reported that Javed Anjum's family is under pressure to withdraw the case.

Following this case, we have received reports in the past week that Christian leaders in Quetta have received threats. According to news agency Compass Direct, at least three different threatening letters were sent to church leaders, including the directors of Christian institutions. One pastor, Wilson Fazal, went missing after receiving a letter which stated: "Christians of Quetta, you are displeasing God ... Accept the faith of jihad ... Get ready, ready, ready, or else." Christians were promised large sums of money if they converted - and, according to the Pakistan Christian Post, "bullets, if it were to be spurned". Compass Direct reported that one of the letters began with a penciled sketch of Osama bin Laden. Six other Pentecostal church leaders have gone into hiding. Pastor Fazal escaped from his kidnappers and is now in a safe place, although he had been severely tortured for refusing to convert.

In a more positive development, President Pervez Musharraf made a statement last Saturday in which he called for a law banning honor killings, and recommended that the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws be scrutinized to prevent further abuses. Speaking to the National Commission for Human Rights in Islamabad, the President said that a law banning honor killings would "lend more strength to Pakistan's efforts to do away with this intolerable practice". Over 600 women were killed in the name of honor in Pakistan in 2003, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

While President Musharraf's comments are to be welcomed, we would urge him to do more than simply scrutinize the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws. The Hudood Ordinances, put into effect in 1979 as part of an 'Islamization' program, include the principle that in a rape case, a rape victim who is unable to prove her case risks being accused of adultery. The Blasphemy Laws have been widely abused and present a threat to the security of minorities in Pakistan.

Please write polite letters to the President in regard to these issues, using the suggested letter and the addresses detailed below. Please also pray for the Christians of Quetta.

SAMPLE LETTER:

His Excellency Pervez Musharraf
President of Pakistan
President's House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 51-9211018

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing first of all to thank you for your recent remarks in an address to the National Commission for Human Rights, in which you called for a law to ban honor killings, and further scrutiny of the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws. Your remarks are very welcome.

May I respectfully urge you, however, to consider doing more than scrutinizing the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws. As you are aware, both laws have been widely abused and misused over many years, resulting in terrible injustices. I would encourage you to consider repealing these laws completely.

I would also wish to bring to your attention the current persecution of Christians in Quetta, Baluchistan province. As you may be aware, Christians in Quetta last week received threatening letters warning them that if they did not convert to Islam and "accept the faith of the jihad", they would be killed. I am sure you are aware that Pastor Wilson Fazal was kidnapped and severely tortured after he refused to convert. He escaped and is now in safety, but he was seriously injured by his torturers.

Pastor Fazal is not the first Christian to be a target for forced conversion to Islam, nor is he the first to be tortured for refusing to convert. Earlier this month, a 19-year-old Christian, Javed Anjum, from Quetta, died as a result of torture at the hands of maulvis, for refusing to convert to Islam. Javed Anjum had been severely tortured at Jamia Hassan Madrassah at Toba Tek Singh, Punjab.

I am concerned that the police initially refused to register a case against the suspected perpetrators of Javed Anjum's murder, and failed to arrest the accused until May 5. I therefore appeal to you to give your attention to this case, and ensure timely investigation and action against the perpetrators of the forced conversion, torture and death of Javed Anjum, in accordance with the law. I also urge you to ensure that the kidnapping and torture of Pastor Fazal, and the threats to other Christians in Quetta, are investigated. Furthermore, I request that you introduce substantial reforms of the madrassahs, as you have pledged to do, in order to prevent the spread of extremism and the fostering of violence and intolerance. I respectfully ask you to do everything possible to promote religious harmony and tolerance, equality of rights and opportunities, in accordance with international standards and Pakistan's own constitutional guarantees.

Yours sincerely,

Please also write to:

Mr. Khurseed Mahmood Qasoori
Minister of Law and Justice
S- Block Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 51-9210062

Send copies to:

Mr. Fasial Saleh Hayat, Interior Minister
R-Block Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 51-9212026

Mr. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Chief Minister Secretariat
7- Club Road, G.O.R. - 1, Lahore., PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 42-9203224

Please also write to your Member of Congress, to ask him/her to raise these issues with the Secretary of State.

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May 5, 2004   Pakistani Christian dies of torture at hands of Islamists  

A 23 year-old Pakistani Christian has died of injuries as a result of five days of severe torture by Islamic militants for refusing to convert to Islam.

Javed Anjum, a Christian from Toba Tek Singh District, was tortured for five days and nights by Islamic extremists from a 'madrassa' or Islamic school in the district.

The torture included electric shocks and burns from warm iron rods. He suffered 26 injuries. He was hospitalized for 11 days, and died at the Allied Hospital in Faisalabad at 2:12am on May 2nd. Doctors said his kidneys had failed and he had undergone dialysis four times. His right arm was fractured, and electric shocks to his ears had affected his hearing. According to the doctors' report, "his bladder stopped working. Instead of urine, he was passing blood or pus."

In his statement to the police before he died, Javed said: "I was searching for water near the Islamic madrassa when the Maulvis (mullahs) took me inside and told me that I was a thief and was trying to steal the water pump. I rejected the charge and told the Islamic leaders that I am a Christian youth and a student. I had come here to attend a marriage. As soon as the Islamic extremists came to know that I am Christian they asked me to convert to Islam. I refused and they started torturing me. They would continue the torture from night till morning. They tortured me badly and during the torture they continuously asked me to accept Islam."

CSW is deeply concerned about this case, and urges the Pakistani authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The police have registered a case against one of the suspects, Moulana Ghulam Rasool, and several of his companions under 337/F6 of the Pakistan penal code.

Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW-UK, said: "This is a tragedy, and is an example of the threat that Christians continue to face in Pakistan. We urge our supporters to pray for Javed's family, and to appeal to the Pakistani authorities to investigate this case and bring the culprits to justice. We also urge the international community to raise this case with the Pakistani government."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Javed Anjum, from Quetta, was traveling to Pir Mahal, in Toba Tek Singh district, to attend a wedding, but went missing on April 16, 2004, before reaching Pir Mahal. His father, Parvez Masih, reported this to the local police and placed an advertisement on the local cable channels.

On April 22, 2004, Maulvis (mullahs) from the madrassa, the Jamia Hassan Bin Ali-ul-Murtaza, in Chak (village) 323 JB Tarandi, Toba Tek Singh district, handed Javed to the police, claiming that he was a thief who was trying to steal their water pump. The police refused to take him because he was badly injured and was not in his senses. Instead they called Javed's father and told him that Javed should be admitted to the hospital immediately.

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December 4, 2003   Human Rights Defender Has Travel Ban Lifted Thanks to YOU!   

Pakistani human rights defender, Shahbaz Bhatti, has been removed from the Exit Control List following high level lobbying by CSW in Europe, the US and Pakistan.

Mr. Bhatti, Chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), had been barred by the Government of Pakistan from leaving the country since early October. He believed the restriction was an attempt to deter him from speaking out on behalf of the non-Muslim minorities in the country.  On hearing of this restriction on his movements, CSW contacted influential MPs and MEPs, who were able to raise his case with strategic people in Pakistan and in the UK. 

CSW also brought Mr. Bhatti's case to the attention of the UK Foreign Office, the European Commission, the permanent EU delegation in Islamabad and selected individuals within the UN. Through a CSW representative in Washington, selected US Senators and Congressmen also took up his case at high levels. Concerted international and domestic pressures resulted in the lifting of the travel ban on November 28. 

Shahbaz Bhatti is greatly encouraged by the recent development and thanked CSW and its supporters for all their prayers, solidarity and campaign efforts. 

He wrote: "This is great and encouraging news for me and the religious minorities of Pakistan. The authorities took the decision to drop my name from the Exit Control List because of international pressure and high level lobbing, including strong protest in Pakistan from different sections of society against...me as a representative of the oppressed and persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan. 

"I am highly grateful for all your prayers, efforts, solidarity and involvement throughout the critical times. I am mindful that it is because of your sincere efforts, prayers and lobbying. You played a significant and leading role to effectively muster support of relevant dignitaries and authorities to build pressure and get my name removed from the Exit Control List. 

"I personally and on behalf of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance thank you from the depth of my heart as this has only been possible due to sincere efforts, that I once again have been able to come out of crisis to serve the Lord our God by raising the plight of persecuted, downtrodden Christians and the other religious minorities of Pakistan and to continue our struggle vehemently for equality, tolerance, human rights and social justice.  "God bless you all and thank you for being Gods' source to help the just and right on earth."

Stuart Windsor, CSW-UK's National Director, said: "We're greatly relieved Shahbaz is able to move around freely again and can continue his unique ministry on behalf of the religious minorities in Pakistan. We were glad to play our part and are extremely grateful to our supporters for their prompt prayers and action on his behalf which have been so effective."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA): 
Formed on 25th November 2001, the APMA is a representative body of all non-Muslim communities in Pakistan, including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and many other groups. It has emerged as a uniting force to bring together all non-Muslim communities onto a common platform. Its mandate includes: to enhance the understanding of human rights, to propagate democratic norms, to assist in peace building efforts, to alleviate religious extremism, to move towards a democratic and progressive Pakistan according to the ideals of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan. In the 2002 elections, members of the APMA were elected into the National and Provincial Assemblies. 

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November 4, 2003   Take action for human rights defender harassed in Pakistan

Dear Friends,

Please take action for Shahbaz Bhatti, a prominent human rights advocate in Pakistan who has been barred from leaving the country. 

Mr. Bhatti believes that the restriction on his freedom of movement is an overt attempt to infringe upon his right to promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms in his country, particularly on issues pertaining to religious minorities. 

According to Mr. Bhatti, government security agencies have put him under undue pressure in the last few months. On numerous occasions, he was
harassed and warned by security agencies that if he continues to speak out against the victimization of minorities, religious terrorism and discriminatory legislation, including the Blasphemy law and the Shar'ia laws, he would be severely punished. Mr. Bhatti also told CSW that an assassination attempt was made on him in the last week of August 2003.

Shahbaz Bhatti is the Chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), the Executive Director of the Pakistan Council for Human Rights & Democracy (PCHRD) and the Founder and President of the human rights organization, the Christian Liberation Front, Pakistan (CLF). For the past 28 years, Mr. Bhatti has been vocal in highlighting the discrimination, injustice and persecution faced by Christians and religious minorities of Pakistan at national and international levels. 

The APMA and the CLF have strongly condemned the brutal killings of innocent Christians at the hands of pro-Taliban and pro-Al-Qaeda militants after the World Trade Center attacks. In his recent visits to the US, Canada and Europe, Mr. Bhatti highlighted unhelpful links between Islamic militants and some government bodies. 

CSW strongly condemns any attempt to restrict the rights of human rights defenders and is gravely concerned about the safety of Mr. Bhatti. We would be grateful if you would take this case up with your Congressperson and the Secretary of State. A sample letter follows. 

Thank you for your solidarity in this matter. 


ACTION:

1. Please write a polite letter to your Congressperson. Kindly request that they to raise the matter with the Government of Pakistan as well as with Colin Powell, Secretary of State. Please also encourage your representative to consider meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner, Her Excellency Dr Malheea Lodhi. 

Write to your Senator at U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510, or your Representative at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.  (Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to find out your Congressperson’s name).

2. Please copy your letter to:

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Fax: (202) 261-8577 
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Email: secretary@state.gov

Sample Letter

Dear Senator/ Representative _____________,

I am writing to convey my serious concern for the safety and well being of renowned Pakistani human rights defender, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, of 710 Shadman Colony, Lahore, Pakistan. As Chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), the Executive Director of Pakistan Council for Human Rights & Democracy (PCHRD) and the Founder and President of Christian Liberation Front Pakistan (CLF), Mr. Bhatti has been advocating the cause of religious
minorities in Pakistan at national and international levels since 1985.

Recently, the Government of Pakistan placed Mr. Bhatti on the Exit Control List under Section 2 of the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance, 1981. He is now barred from leaving Pakistan. Mr. Bhatti believes the restriction on his freedom of movement is an overt attempt to deter him from the pursuit of fundamental human rights, particularly those pertaining to religious minorities in Pakistan. 

According to Mr. Bhatti, he has been under undue pressure from government security agencies in the last few months. Security agencies have reportedly warned him on numerous occasions that if he continues to speak out against victimization, religious terrorism and discriminatory legislation, including the Blasphemy law and the Shar'ia laws, he would be severely punished. An assassination attempt was made on him in the last week of August 2003. 

It is worth noting that copies of a memorandum issued by the Government of Pakistan Interior Division concerning Mr. Bhatti were sent to the Prime Minister's Secretariat, the Director General of the ISI (the security services), the Chief Commissioner, the Home Secretary, the Intelligence Bureau and others. Reliable sources from within the security forces in Pakistan have also indicated that it may only be a matter of time before Mr. Bhatti is put in prison for pleading the cause of religious minorities. 

May I urge you to raise the case of Mr. Bhatti with the Pakistan authorities and with Colin Powell, Secretary of State. Please request that the Government of Pakistan: 

a) Immediately remove Shahbaz Bhatti from the Exit Control List and lift other restrictions;
b) conduct a thorough investigation in this matter; 
c) publicly condemn all attempts to harass human rights advocates; and 
d) uphold and protect Mr. Bhatti's rights to plead the cause of the religious minorities without interference from government agencies and extremist elements in accordance with the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. 

May I also invite you to consider setting up a meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner, Her Excellency Dr. Malheea Lodhi, at the High Commission
for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to discuss this matter and the wider issue of religious freedom in Pakistan. 

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

-------------------------------

July 16, 2003  Pakistani Priest Gunned Down

Source: International Christian Concern

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) www.persecution.org has just become aware of the heinous murder of a priest in Pakistan. While spending a quiet evening at home, Roman Catholic priest, Reverend Father George Ibrahim, 38, was brutally murdered in the early hours of July 5 at his parish residence of the Catholic Church at Renala Khurd, district Okara, which is located 180 miles south of Islamabad.

Upon hearing noises close to the church building and detecting movement outside the parish, Reverend Ibrahim informed his cook that he was going outside to check out the suspicious activity. Once outside the parish, Rev. Ibrahim had no protection and was brutally gunned down by five armed assailants. The cook heard the shots and ran outside only to see the men fleeing the church property and his beloved priest lying dead in a pool of blood. The cook immediately called the police and local Christian elders of Renala Khurd.  Ibrahim’s body was taken to the local hospital where he was declared dead from six bullet wounds.

According to the Christians of Renala Khurd, Rev. Fr. George Ibrahim had received many threats because he was very bold and outspoken about the betterment of Christians in the area. The motive for the murder seems to be connected with Fr. Ibrahim’s success in having his Catholic school denationalized. For many years, the Catholic school had been under government control and had recently been returned back to the management of the church.  This was not acceptable to the local Muslim community. 

One believer in Renala Khurd said, “There are wings of a few Islamic militant organizations who do not wish Christians to be prosperous.” The Catholic Church and Christian elders of the area have declared this tragic incident an act of brutal terrorism.

Reverend George Ibrahim was buried in his own native Christian village of Khushpur, district Faisalabad. A police report has been filed but there have been no arrests.

ICC urges the Pakistani government to establish a judicial commission to probe into this tragic incident. The Pakistani government must bring the perpetrators of this murder to justice. When the government turns a blind eye to cases such as these, terrorism increases. 

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness of the problem of persecution in the US Church and is an advocate for the persecuted to the US Government. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 301-989-1708.

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June 11, 2003  Pakistani Christian Set Free After Over Four Years in Prison For Blasphemy

Great News! Aslam Masih, a Christian falsely accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, was acquitted on June 4 after spending four and a half year in prison. 

Full story please see below. Thank you for all your prayers and support.

PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN SET FREE AFTER OVER FOUR YEARS IN JAIL ON FALSE BLASPHEMY CHARGES

A Christian falsely accused of blasphemy in Pakistan was acquitted on June 4 after spending four and a half years in prison. 

The Lahore High Court overturned the origin verdict on the basis that the conviction, based on hearsay evidence, was unsafe.

Aslam Masih, a Christian pastor from Mammun Kanjun, Faisalabad district (north central Pakistan), was given two life sentences and a fine of 100,000 Rupees ($2,210) on May 7, last year for allegedly defiling the Qur'an (s.295B) and the Prophet Mohammed (s.295C).  He was accused of writing insulting words against the Prophet Mohammad on some lucky amulets in a bid to win a dog fight in 1998. 

The complainant was a local mullah and a member of the 'Ahlay Hadees' Islamic militant group. 

According to local human rights groups, the case against 46-year-old Aslam Masih was unfounded and registered without proper investigation. He was also reportedly stabbed in the back and severely beaten by a mob of angry Islamists before being taken to the police station. The prosecution had failed to produce concrete evidence to establish Aslam Masih's guilt during  the trial. The prosecution's key witness also reportedly testified in open court that he did not know Aslam Masih and did not agree with the accusation brought by the complainant. 

Eyewitnesses also observed that on the day of trial, the Additional Session Judge was under severe pressure from the Islamic extremists who had gathered outside the courtroom. 

Aslam Masih has been detained in Faisalabad Central jail since 1998. Muslim inmates reportedly tortured him on several occasions. 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has been campaigning for his release since his arrest. CSW welcomes the recent decision but is concerned that it took four and a half years for the courts to free an innocent man. 

Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW said: "We are delighted that Aslam Masih has finally been cleared and hope this latest decision will bring a ray of hope to many others such as Ranja Masih, Augustine Masih and Parvez Masih who are still imprisoned under the divisive and blatantly unjust blasphemy law.  "Aslam Masih's case is another clear example of how extremist mullahs and members of the Islamic militant groups manipulate the poorly drafted blasphemy law to persecute those they disagree with. 

"To protect the innocents, the government of Pakistan must take immediate steps to introduce legislative and administrative measures to safeguard against further abuses. People who file maliciously-motivated complaints should also be brought to justice without delay." 

FURTHER BACKGROUND

Section 295 of Pakistan's Penal Code, known as the blasphemy law, is open to widespread abuse due to its vague wording and the lack of penalties against its misuse.

The law allows the courts to pass sentence on those who 'by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defile the sacred name of the Holy Prophet.' A conviction carries a mandatory death sentence.

According to the National Commission for Justice & Peace, at least 148 Muslims (121 cases), 208 Ahmadis (56 cases), 75 Christians (64 cases) and eight Hindis (five cases) have been charged with blasphemy since 1987. In 2001 alone, it is estimated that at least 40 Muslims, 23 Ahmadis, ten Christians and two Hindus were charged with blasphemy.

In April 2003, Ranjha Masih, a Christian from Faisalabad district, was sentenced to life and fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees (£660) for blasphemy.

Last June, Augustine Ashiq Masih (alias Kungri Masih) from Mohalla Saeedabad, Faisalabad district, was given the mandatory death sentence plus a heavy fine for making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Mohammed.

Parvez Masih, a Christian headmaster from Daska, was charged with blasphemy in April 2001. According to local sources, the complaint was filed by a rival Muslim in a malicious attempt to force Parvez Masih into closing down his school. The local Bar Council had announced that any lawyer taking up Parvez Masih's case would be killed.

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May 21, 2003  Nine Year Old Christian Girl in Pakistan Sexually Assaulted as Punishment for War in Iraq

A nine-year-old Christian girl from Pakistan claims to have been beaten and sexually assaulted by her Muslim employers whenever footage from the war in Iraq was shown on television.

The girl from Faisal Town in Lahore claims that when she cried for mercy, they would ask her to call for the Americans to help her.

She said the couple told her they were taking revenge for the American bombing of Iraqi Muslim children on her because she was an "infidel and a Christian", according to what she told CSW partners, the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), a human rights NGO based in Pakistan.

She said the couple would beat her with a cricket bat, hang her upside down from the ceiling, pour spoonfuls of hot chilies into her mouth, handcuff her and bash her head repeatedly against the wall.

When she cried and appealed for mercy, they would tell her to call the Americans for help.

She attempted to escape from her employers on April 26, but after being recaptured, she was so badly beaten that she was put on a rickshaw home by her employers who apparently thought she would die.

When her older brother took her to the local hospital, she was immediately admitted to the intensive care unit.

A preliminary medical report from that hospital stated that she had suffered a fractured right arm, multiple burns, and bruises and lacerations to her face and body. She was later treated at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore and is suffering from depression and trauma.

The APMA has helped the girl's family register an official complaint against her employers with the Faisal police. The APMA reports that so far no action has been taken on her behalf by the authorities.

The APMA has also helped another family file a complaint under Section 10 of the Zina Ordinance against a man whom they allege raped a ten-year-old Christian girl.

The girl's father told the APMA the family had enjoyed peaceful relations with their Muslim neighbors until the war in Iraq broke out.

He said they noticed a marked change in their neighbor's attitude and noted his links with some extremist Islamic organizations. They claim the man lured the girl into his home on March 31, under the pretext of receiving an urgent telephone call from her uncle before raping her.

Both families are said to have received threats from Muslim extremists to withdraw their complaints. Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide-UK, said: "We strongly condemn these two appalling attacks. Although there has been no major backlash on Christian institutions since the war in Iraq began, the attacks on these two girls seem to be related to the war.  "Christians in Pakistan are increasingly vulnerable to religiously motivated hate crimes and Christian girls and women seem to be specially targeted.  "We are outraged by the unwillingness of the police to investigate the complaints as this only emboldens extremists to continue to victimize Christians and other non-Muslims. "CSW calls on the Government of Pakistan to clearly and publicly condemn such acts, investigate them promptly, independently and impartially and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."

Christian and other non-Muslim women who are victims of rape are often forcibly converted and married off to their rapists or sold into prostitution. They can also be at risk of being accused of committing adultery. Under Shari'ah Law, there is no distinction between rape and adultery. The penalty for zina (adultery and fornication) is death by stoning and to discharge adultery, the burden falls on the victim to prove rape which requires the testimony of four adult male Muslims who have witnessed the rape. The testimony of the rape victim alone or of four female witnesses is insufficient. If the accused is a Muslim, no non-Muslim is allowed to testify against him.

There are about 2.25 million Christians (1.6% of the population) in Pakistan and they are often from poorer backgrounds. They suffer a wide range of discriminations including the Blasphemy law, which can see them sentenced to death on the testimony of a single Muslim witness.

In February 2002, a 16-year-old Christian girl from Fatewala village, Gujranwala district was reportedly raped by a Muslim landlord.  In February 2001, Naira Nadia, a 14-year-old Christian girl, was kidnapped and gang raped by a group of armed Islamic extremists, allegedly as a punishment for sharing her faith with school friends. She was forcibly converted to Islam and the men sent the parents a certificate of conversion. Despite a ruling from Lahore High Court to nullify the conversion, the police have failed to take steps to recover the girl. The girl's family is currently bringing the case before the Supreme Court, but no hearing date has been fixed. The family is under immense pressure from Muslim extremists to drop the case.

In May 2000, eight Christian girls were allegedly gang raped by six Muslim men when traveling home from work. When their case went before the Ferozwala District and Sessions Court on May 15 2002, the presiding judge ruled in favor of the accused despite corroborating medical and police evidence. It is widely believed that the judgment was given under influence and pressure from Muslim supporters who reportedly packed the courtroom at each stage of the proceedings. 

Pakistan is a party to the UN's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

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May 12, 2003  Another Christian Child Raped in Pakistan

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC)
www.persecution.org has just become aware of the rape case of a 10-year-old Pakistani child. On March 31, 2002, Natasha Emmanuel from Ismailabad, Wah Cantt was raped by Ghazanfar Mehmood, a Muslim
neighbor. Following the incident, Natasha was taken immediately to the hospital where she was kept in the
intensive care unit for three days. Although Natasha is very intelligent and religious, she has been
psychologically depressed following the attack.

Ghanzanfar Mehmood has links with conservative and extremist Islamic organizations. Prior to the war in Iraq, Ghazanfar Mehmood lived in peace with Natasha’s family. After the war in Iraq began however, the Emmanuel family noticed a change in Mehmood’s attitude. It is reported that the rape was motivated by revenge for the war in Iraq.

Because Muslims view Christianity as a Western religion, Pakistani Christians are viewed as being
pro-American. Some Muslims have vented their anger about the War in Iraq by acts of revenge, especially on Christian women and young girls. The raping of Natasha Emmanuel is the second attack and raping of a
Christian girl in the last two months. Nine-year-old Christian Razia Masih was beaten and raped on April 26,
2003 in retaliation for the War in Iraq. 

ICC urges American Christians to call the Embassy of Pakistan in protest of these two heinous hate crimes
against Christian children. The Pakistani Embassy can be reached at 202-939-6200.

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US Church regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and at the State Department. 

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April 29, 2003  Pakistani Christian Found Guilty of Blasphemy After Trial in Court Filled with Islamic Extremists

A Pakistani Christian from Faisalabad was sentenced to life in prison and fined for blasphemy on April 26.

Ranjha Masih, aged 54, was fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees ($1122.00) and sentenced for making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Mohammed. 

He is the third Christian to be convicted of blasphemy by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad (approx 100km west of Lahore in northern Pakistan) in less than a year.

He was arrested on May 8 1998 while taking part in a demonstration to commemorate the suicide (in protest against the blasphemy law) of Catholic Bishop Dr John Joseph of Faisalabad and to show their support for his stand.

Thousands of Christians took to the streets of Faisalabad on that day when Bishop John Joseph was buried, and emotions ran high. 

Some young Christians, distressed by the suicide of their well-respected spiritual leader, started throwing stones at nearby vehicles and shops. Angry Muslims responded by attacking Christian homes and businesses in the vicinity. 

When a signboard with 'There is no God but Allah and the Prophet Mohammed is His Messenger' (the Kalima Tayyaba or proclamation of Islamic faith) written on it, fell to the ground, Ranjha Masih was blamed for stoning and damaging the board, and was severely beaten by a mob of Muslims. 

On receiving a complaint from Muhammad Jahanzeb, the son of former mayor of Faisalabad Malik Muhammad Ashraf on the same day, officers from the Faisalabad Rail Bazaar Police Station arrested Ranjha Masih and registered a case under section 295C Pakistan Penal Code (the blasphemy law) against him.

The Christian Liberation Front (CLF), a Pakistan-based human rights group that has been monitoring the case from the beginning, told Christian Solidarity Worldwide that the case against Ranjha Masih was registered without proper investigation and the police have so far failed to produce sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegation. 

According to Shahbaz Bhatti, the Chairman of CLF, who was present at the trial, Islamic militants in the area have been demanding the death penalty for Ranjha Masih. The courtroom was packed with Islamic religious leaders and the presiding judge appeared confused when delivering his decision. 

Ranjha Masih who has been in Faisalabad Central jail since his arrest is said to be depressed but strong in his Christian faith. 

He said: "I will be happy if the sacrifice of my life could contribute to the abolition of the blasphemy law, although I am falsely involved and being punished for a crime that I did not commit. The prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ are strength for me." 

CLF intends to file an appeal on behalf of Ranjha Masih within the next 30 days.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide is submitting the case of Ranjha Masih to the attention of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. CSW is also raising his case with the European Parliament and the US government. 

Stuart Windsor, CSW-UK's National Director, criticized the judgement in this case: "The decision of the District and Sessions Court represents a grave injustice to Ranjha Masih. Intimidation from the Islamic clerics and the atmosphere surrounding the trial denied him any chance of a fair trial.

"Faisalabad is the stronghold of several Islamist organizations including the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba. Pressure from these militant groups and certain extreme clerics are keeping the blasphemy law alive. We will be supporting the CLF in their work to set this man and others free and to repeal the blasphemy law, which causes so much sectarian tension." 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Bishop John Joseph, the bishop of Faisalabad, killed himself in front of the court house in Sahiwal on May 6 1998 to register his protest against the death sentence awarded to Ayub Masih, another Christian convicted under the blasphemy law, and to draw international attention to the injustice of the law.

Ayub Masih was released on appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in August 2002. 

In May 2002, Aslam Masih, a Christian pastor from Faisalabad District, was given two life sentences and a large fine for allegedly defiling the Qur'an (s.295B) and Prophet Mohammed (s.295C) by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad In June 2002, Augustine Ashiq Masih (alias Kungri Masih) from Mohalla Saeedabad, Faisalabad District, was given the mandatory death sentence plus a heavy fine by the same court.

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April 8, 2003  Pakistani Christian-Falsely Accused, Tortured and Murdered Protestors Take His Dead Body To The Streets In Protest

Source: International Christian Concern

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern, has just become aware of the murder of a Christian man (Rehmat Masih) by police authorities in Lahore, Pakistan. Rehmat Masih was a staunch Christian that was married to Martha Masih and had 5 children. He was employed as a custodian at the Civil Secretariat in Lahore.

Mr. Masih was falsely accused with another Christian man of the theft of 300 law books from his employer. Although there were 10 other Muslim employees with access to the books, only the 2 Christians were arrested. Rehmat’s wife stated, “My husband was innocent and was arrested only because he was a bold Christian. My husband was uneducated and his means of transport was a bicycle. Why would he steal 300 books and how could he transport them on a bicycle?”

The 2 Christians were taken into custody without charges being filed on March 2^nd. After 17 days of illegal detention and severe torture by authorities (in an attempt to pressure them to admit the theft), Rehmat’s health started to fail. He was transferred to a hospital where he died on April 1st.

Family members and fellow Christians, outraged by the persecution and murder of their brother, protested by bringing his dead body to the same government ministry demanding justice. Police cordoned off the area and pushed back the protestors. One of Rehmat’s nephews was struck in the head by a police officer during the protest and was also killed.

ICC urges American Christians to raise their voices in concern about the treatment of Christians in Pakistan. Write or call immediately to Pakistani ambassador Mr. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi  and ask for help in securing justice for Christians in Pakistan.

Embassy of Pakistan
2315 Massachuesetts Ave. NW
Washington DC 2008
www.pakistan-embassy.com
Email: parepwashington@erols.com
Ph.  202-939-6200
Fax: 202-387-0484

March 20, 2003   Saleem and Rasheed Masih of Pakistan Released!

Good news! Lahore High Court yesterday ordered the release of Saleem and
Rasheed Masih. Please be encouraged that your prayers and letters work. 

The brothers were charged with s.295C (blasphemy) after a dispute with an
ice-cream vendor almost four years ago. They were both given 35-year jail
sentences in May 2000. We will be putting out an urgent action on other
blasphemy cases as soon as possible, but wanted to encourage you with this
good news as soon as we got it.

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March 19, 2003   Extremists Incite Violence Against Christians at Anti-War Rallies in Pakistan

Anti-war rallies in Pakistan are being used by extremists to stir up violence against the minority Christian community.

Pakistan's opposition party, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), is publicly calling for jihad (holy war) against America and infidels (non-Muslims) and has announced a third 'Million Men March' on Saturday March 23 in Lahore.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims waving the green and white flags of the MMA and holding pictures of Osama bin Laden took to the streets in Karachi on March 2 and in Rawalpindi on March 9 to protest against the impending US-led war against Iraq.

Calling Pakistan the citadel of Islam, the MMA condemned any attack on Iraq as a Christian crusade against Islam and declared that it was the responsibility of every good Muslim to kill infidels. 

"Any attack on Iraq would be considered an attack on the Muslim world," Qazi Hussain Ahmed, leader of the MMA in Pakistan's National Assembly, told the protesters from a podium.

Maulana Fazal-ul Rehman, the secretary-general of the MMA added: "Those who are supporting infidels will face our wrath. Jews and Christians are our enemies, they cannot be our friends. Our jihad is against all these infidels. This is not a war against Iraq but against Islam and if the war will break then Muslims will participate in this Holy War."

Christians in Pakistan are particularly targeted because Islamic militants believe that by killing them, they are striking at Christian America and the West. 

Anti-Christian sentiment in Pakistan is further fuelled by hate campaigns from various Islamic militant groups who have openly distributed provocative anti-Christian and pro-jihad literature across the country. 

In January, Jesh Ahle-I-Alqiblat Ali Alsari Al Alami, an Islamic militant group based in the capital city of Islamabad, published a pamphlet in Urdu and Arabic demanding Pakistani Christians to convert to Islam or face death.

Calling non-Muslims 'enemies of Islam', the document claimed that jihad becomes obligatory on Muslims if non-believers harass them or become a threat to their honor and religion. 

Published by several national newspapers, the pamphlet directed Muslims to kill infidels wherever and whenever they can be found. 

The Government of Pakistan has been silent on the subject even though the distribution on such a large scale of hate materials is in breach of s.295A and s.298 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Christians and other non-Muslim citizens living in Pakistan are extremely fearful that what happens in the Gulf will bring grave repercussions on them. 

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide-UK, said: "Pakistan is at risk of being torn apart by Islamic militancy. Most of the 2,000 extremists arrested last year have now been released. Outlawed militant groups have reconstituted themselves under new name