A Chinese national was accused of blasphemy in Pakistan and detained by the authorities of that country. Under controversial Pakistani law, such an offense carries the death penalty.
The man, identified only as Tian, works as a transportation engineer on a hydroelectric project for the company. China Gezhouba Group, a multinational from the Asian giant, which also has several businesses in Latin America.
The events occurred last Saturday during a discussion with co-workers. After the blasphemous comments, thousands of people from this relatively conservative area protested, demanding the arrest of the defendant. A mob even formed to try to lynch him, according to police reports.
Blasphemy is a crime in Pakistan and although it carries the death penalty, no one has ever been executed for it. However, angry mobs have sometimes responded to alleged blasphemous comments by killing the person accused of making them.
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Human rights groups denounce that these accusations are often used to intimidate religious minorities or to settle personal scores.
