The lawyer denounces that in four years they have not been able to prove the crime with respect to the contents they found on the phone. False blasphemy charges against religious minorities in Pakistan are often brought to settle personal vendettas, property disputes, religious prejudice or business rivalries.
Bahawalpur () – A few days ago, a Bahawalpur court sentenced 22-year-old Christian man Noman Masih to death by hanging, accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad for images he received via WhatsApp in 2019.
Lazar Allah Rakha, Noman Masih’s lawyer, stated that he was deeply disappointed with the sentence, as the prosecution has not provided evidence for the blasphemy charge; however, after four long years the court sentenced the young man to death. Noman was charged with blasphemy for having blasphemous images of him on his cell phone; the complaint against him was filed under article 295-C, which carries the death penalty. “Noman Masih’s trial concluded in January, but the court repeatedly postponed the verdict under various pretexts,” Rakha said.
Minority rights activist Joseph Jansen said it is worrying that a young Christian is sentenced to death without a fair investigation. False blasphemy accusations against religious minorities are often made to settle personal vendettas, property disputes, religious prejudice, or business rivalries.
At the same time, the abuse of blasphemy laws (articles 295 to 298 of the CPP), which carry severe penalties, has increased exponentially. The simple accusation of blasphemy has become a justification to attack anyone. “Whistleblowers and witnesses involved in making false accusations against the defendant often enjoy impunity,” Jansen added. Human rights activist Ilyas Samuel has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the death sentence handed down by Judge Muhammad Hafeez Ur Rehman Khan and to drop all charges against Noman.
The Chairman of the National Alliance for Minorities of Pakistan, Lala Robin Daniel, stated that the issue of blasphemy is a very sensitive issue in the country. Arson accusations can potentially lead to a lynching. He explained that these laws seriously affect Pakistan’s marginalized Christian community and have ruined the lives of many innocent people, and still no one is trying to change them. The government – he concluded – must introduce a national action plan to combat the abuse of blasphemy laws in the name of religion.
