(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)
Pakistan (MNN) — There’s FINALLY been movement in Asia Bibi’s case in Pakistan Bruce Allen with Forgotten Missionaries International confirms,
“The Supreme Court of Pakistan stayed the execution of Asia Bibi. She
was a Christian woman who had been sentenced to death for alleged
blasphemy on fairly trumped charges stemming from a labor dispute years
ago. She has been in jail since2009 and on death row since 2010.”
The court also granted the Christian woman leave to appeal. Allen
explains, “The lower courts had upheld her death penalty, but the
Supreme Court said, ‘We are going to stay that execution.’ So that is
good news, in and of itself.”
Asia Bibi’s case started in 2009 when she said these words to a group
of women she was arguing with: “Our Christ sacrificed His life on the
cross for our sins….Our Christ is alive.” She was accused, tried, and
convicted of insulting the prophet Muhammad.
After a lengthy trial, on Nov. 8, 2010, Asia Bibi was sentenced to
death by a judge. Since then, she’s been in and out of courts with
appeals. In October 2014, the high court in Lahore (where the incident
took place) upheld Bibi’s death sentence.
The decision on July 22 reverses a lower court ruling from last
October and breathed new hope into her case. Could there be a full
acquittal on blasphemy charges? On that point, Allen pauses. “She could
be acquitted. It’s too early to say, and there’s more that will be
forthcoming from the Supreme Court on this. This was just the first part
of the hearing.”
Good news to celebrate, Allen agrees. However, “There still is a hard
road ahead for her–she’s still in prison. And even if the wheels of
justice move in her favor and she is released, we have to remember that
local Muslim clerics have put a price on her head.” The American Center
for Law & Justice notes he’s offering a half million rupee bounty
for anyone who kills Asia.
(Photo courtesy CallforMercy.com)
International pressure has been mounting, not only calling for Asia’s
release, but also for reform on the blasphemy laws. Reform has been a
hot-button topic in Pakistan. The last two politicians who called for
change were assassinated in 2011. For that reason, says Allen, “The
situation is at a knife’s edge in Pakistan regarding this case and other
cases like it. They may say, ‘No, we’ll keep her in prison. We won’t
execute her, but we’re not going to take further action on the case,’ or
something like that.”
In fact, the code was implemented nearly three decades ago to appease
religious parties. Today, the laws are seen as being regularly misused
to settle personal scores. Since 1984, nearly a thousand people have
been convicted of blasphemy and thousands more accused of blasphemy.
Despite the threat, more than 150,000 Christians in Pakistan have
signed a petition demanding justice for persecution victims, including
Asia Bibi. Will it be enough? The pressure counts for a lot. Allen says,
“There were some objections raised. That could be taken up in the next
hearing of the case. We’re just glad that there was some movement on the
case because it has been a long time since any action was taken legally
on her behalf.”
At the Supreme Court Hearing, Lahore, Pakistan (Photo courtesy FMI. Asia’s husband, Ashiq Masih, seated on right)
What now? Asia Bibi isn’t out of the woods yet. Long imprisonment has
taken its toll. “Prayer is still needed. Pray for her health that God
would be touching her body and restoring her and refreshing her.” Pray
for wisdom and safety for her legal counsel, adds Allen. “People who
speak out in her defense, or who speak out on the blasphemy laws, are
targets for violence. So we can be praying for Asia’s lawyer, for his
protection because he’s taken on a high-profile case that is very
divisive in that country.” For her husband and children, Allen asks you
to remember their needs, too.
In spite of the upward trend in harassment, discrimination, and
worse, the Pakistani Church is still growing. Growth means the hope of
Christ is still getting out through the ministry of nearly 30 national
pastors and evangelists who are partnering with FMI. They also provide
tangible support, such as bicycles for pastors’ transportation,
materials for church site construction, and helps maintain a network
of safe houses for persecuted believers. For details, click here.
Source: Mission Network
News
Topic: Movement in Asia Bibi’s case in Pakistan
LAHORE,
PAKISTAN (ANS – July 22, 2015) -- Asia Bibi, the courageous Christian
mother-of-five, has been granted leave to appeal her death sentence by the
Supreme Court of Pakistan in Lahore, and there is now the possibility that she
could walk free – and then face further danger from lynch mobs who would like to
kill her.