Posts Tagged ‘blasphemy’

Christian, 18, Charged with Blasphemy in Pakistan Wins Bail

Ashbeel Ghauri (2nd from right) with lawyers and parents on March 14, 2024. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – An 18-year-old Christian charged with blasphemy was released on bail on Thursday (March 14), saying his faith sustained him during a week of solitary… Source

Christian in Pakistan Accused of Blasphemy for Refusing to Convert, He Says

Muslims accused Ashbeel Ghauri of blasphemy in Attock city, Pakistan after he refused to convert to Islam. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A former classmate of an 18-year-old Christian in Pakistan accused him of blasphemy after failing to convert him to Islam, impeding the accused’s college studies and […]

Halt to Abuse of Blasphemy Laws Sought in Pakistan

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan. (Romero Maia, Creative Commons) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – With a soaring number of blasphemy allegations in Pakistan in 2023, rights activists are reiterating demands for legislation against blatant abuse of the country’s notorious blasphemy laws. At least 329 persons were accused of blasphemy under the law in 2023, […]

Christians in Jaranwala, Pakistan Acquitted of Blasphemy Charges

Attorney Tahir Bashir with Umair Saleem (L) and Umar Saleem (R) after their release on March 1, 2024. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A judge in Pakistan on Friday (March 1) acquitted two Christian brothers of false blasphemy charges that had led to Muslims attacking Christian homes and […]

Acquittal Gives Christian Hope for 2nd Blasphemy Case

Parents of Noman Masih hold a photograph of their imprisoned son. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A Christian sentenced to death in one blasphemy case in Pakistan was acquitted on Feb. 20 in another related to the same incident, with the judge citing double… Source

Christian Sentenced to Life in Prison under Blasphemy Law

Fanson Shahid was sentenced to life in prison under Pakistan’s blasphemy law on Jan. 24, 2024. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A judge sentenced a Christian to life in prison under Pakistan’s blasphemy statutes for a social media message that relatives… Source

Two Christians Jailed under Blasphemy Law in Uganda

Joseph Omadi was arrested in Soroti, Uganda on Nov. 21, 2023. (Morning Star News) NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – Two evangelists in eastern Uganda will spend Christmas in jail, charged under a blasphemy law after Muslims upset at their street preaching beat them and summoned police, sources said. On the final day of a three-day […]

Blasphemy Law in Indonesia Faces Criticism as Cases Grow

Christian convert Muhammad Kece received a 10-year prison sentence under Indonesia’s blasphemy law. (YouTube screenshot) SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – With an increase in blasphemy cases in Indonesia and arrests based on Islamic fatwas and mob pressure, rights advocates are calling for laws to be amended or ended. The number of charges… Source

Blasphemy Charge Devastates Christian Family in Pakistan

Haroon Shahzad (right) with attorney Aneeqa Maria. (The Voice Society for Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A court in Pakistan this month granted bail to a Christian falsely charged with blasphemy, but he and his family have separated and gone into hiding amid threats to their lives, sources said. Haroon Shahzad, 45, […]

Christian Couple Accused of Blasphemy Win Bail in Pakistan

Shaukat Masih and wife Kiran Shaukat with their children. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A court in Lahore, Pakistan on Wednesday (Oct. 18) granted bail to a Christian couple arrested last month on blasphemy charges, a rare occurrence in a country where falsely accused suspects spend years in jail awaiting verdicts. Zahid… […]

Christian Couple Jailed, Charged with Blasphemy in Pakistan

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan. (Romero Maia, Creative Commons) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – The three young children of a Christian couple jailed on baseless charges of desecrating the Koran in Lahore, Pakistan last week have no relatives to care for them and are extremely upset, a rights advocate. Shaukat Masih, 33, and his 28-year-old wife… […]

Christian in Pakistan Charged with Blasphemy for TikTok Upload

Home of Rafaqat Masih burned in rioting that began Aug. 16, 2023 in Christian Town, Jaranwala, Pakistan. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Police in Pakistan on Saturday night (Aug. 19) charged a Christian with blasphemy for uploading on TikTok a video of content that last week led to attacks on Christian homes […]

Blasphemy Accusation Sparks Attacks on Christians in Pakistan

Belongings of Christians burned in Muslim rioting in Jaranwala, Pakistan on Aug. 16, 2023. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Instigated by mosque leaders, Muslim mobs on Wednesday (Aug. 16) burned 20 church buildings and ransacked Christian homes and businesses in Jaranwala, Pakistan after a Muslim framed two Christians in a false… Source

Christians in Pakistan Flee Homes after Blasphemy Accusation

Mosque announcements to protest alleged blasphemy created large crowds of Muslims in Sargodha, Pakistan, on July 16, 2023. (Sanawar Balam for Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A third accusation of blasphemy in less than a month compelled Christians fearful of Islamic retribution to flee their homes in an eastern city in Pakistan… […]

Christian in Pakistan Charged with Blasphemy for Bible Post

Divisions of Punjab Province, Pakistan. (Saqib Qayyum, Creative Commons) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Police in Pakistan charged a Christian with blasphemy on Friday (June 30) after he posted Bible verses on Facebook that infuriated Muslims, causing dozens of Christian families in a village near Sargodha city to flee their homes. Tensions flared in Chak […]

Pakistan Aims to Try Blasphemy Cases under Anti-Terror Law

Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan (Ali Imran, Creative Commons) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A government concession to demands by a Muslim extremist political party to allow blasphemy charges under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws has raised fears of more injustice for those accused under the harsh statutes, sources said. Federal Interior… Source

Christian in Pakistan Sentenced to Death under Blasphemy Law

Noman Masih. (Morning Star News via defense counsel) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A court in Bahawalpur, Pakistan on Tuesday (May 30) handed the death penalty to a 22-year-old Christian on an unsubstantiated conviction under the country’s blasphemy laws, sources said. Lazar Allah Rakha, attorney for Noman Masih, said that the sessions court announced its […]

Christian Widow Accused of Blasphemy Released on Bail

Musarrat Bibi, Christian widow unjustly accused of blasphemy in Pakistan. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A court in Pakistan on Saturday (May 13) released on bail a Christian woman charged under a blasphemy statute that calls for life in prison, her attorney said. Lazar Allah Rakha told Morning Star News that Arifwala… Source

Christian Widow, Muslim Charged with Blasphemy in Pakistan

Location of Pakpattan District, Pakistan. (Map data © 2023 Google) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Christian widow and a Muslim gardener were arrested in Pakistan this month on blasphemy charges after they were accused of intentionally burning papers containing koranic verses, attorneys said. The accusations arose when 46-year-old Mussarat… Source

Turkey demands Sweden to Ban Blasphemy, Sweden Rejects Demands

Turkey makes a concrete demand on Sweden that risks making the country’s NATO membership impossible. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken out about the burning of the Koran in Sweden and is now demanding that the legislation be changed. Erdogan has made it clear that he will not support Sweden’s NATO membership before the […]

Christian Falsely Accused of Blasphemy, Father Says

Ishtiaq Saleem was arrested on false charge of blasphemy in Islamabad, Pakistan, his father says. (Morning Star News courtesy of family) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – His voice shaky, Saleem Masih said his family has been living in fear since Nov. 29, when his son was arrested on false accusations of blasphemy – which can […]

Right Wing Bonus Tracks: Revived Blasphemy Laws

 ALL GIFTS 3X-MATCHED BY 12/31!  For 15 years, Right Wing Watch has monitored, exposed, and disrupted right-wing extremists across the country. As their influence grows, our work becomes even more important – as does your support. Please make a year-end donation to keep this critical work going. 3X-MATCH my donation of:  ALL GIFTS 3X-MATCHED BY […]

Christian Woman on Trial for Blasphemy in Northeast Nigeria

Rhoda Ya’u Jatau. (Facebook) ABUJA, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – A Christian woman in northeast Nigeria is on trial after being held incommunicado for more than four months on blasphemy charges for forwarding a WhatsApp message, sources said. Rhoda Ya’u Jatau, 45, was arrested in Bauchi state in May after receiving a WhatsApp message from… Source

Supreme Court of Pakistan grants bail to 3 Christians charged with ‘blasphemy’

Photo Credit: ImposterVT/Wikimedia Commons (Barnabas Aid) — The Supreme Court of Pakistan in Islamabad has granted bail to three Christians charged with “blasphemy” in separate cases. Sanitary worker Salamat Mansha Masih was bailed on August 23. He was originally arrested in February 2021 while working for Lahore Waste Management Company. Salamat, along with Haroon Masih, […]

Two More Christians Accused of Blasphemy Receive Bail

Patras Masih in police custody in 2018. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Two Christians accused of blasphemy, including one who has spent four years in jail, have obtained bail from the Supreme Court of Pakistan, sources said. Following the release on bail earlier last week of another Christian accused of blasphemy, a […]

Supreme Court of Pakistan Grants Bail in Blasphemy Case

Salamat Mansha Masih (center) sees his mother and former attorney (right) on arrival at jail in Lahore on April 23, 2021. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A two-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday (Aug. 23) granted bail to a Christian in a blasphemy case, with one of the […]

Indonesia’s New Criminal Code Revealed, Modernizing the Controversial Anti-Blasphemy Laws

The newest draft of the Indonesian Government’s Criminal Code Revision has been revealed, reinforcing its anti-blasphemy laws, and creating new provisions which will disproportionately impact Christians and other religious minorities. 07/13/2022 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – International Christian Concern… Source

Christian in Pakistan Sentenced to Death for Alleged ‘Blasphemy’

Ashfaq Masih of Lahore, Pakistan was sentenced to death on July 4, 2022 under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. (Morning Star News) LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Christian bicycle mechanic in Lahore, Pakistan was sentenced to death last week on baseless charges of blasphemy, his lawyer said. Attorney Riaz Anjum said that in 2017 Muhammad Irfan… […]

Pakistani Christian jailed since 2019 on ‘blasphemy’ charges granted bail

Photo Credit Aa Dil/Pexels LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A mentally-ill Christian jailed since March 2019 on charges of blasphemy, punishable by death, has been granted bail, sources said. Stephen Masih was arrested on March 11, 2019 after a Muslim mob burst into his home in Imranpura Bedian village, Sialkot District, beat him and other […]

Christians attacked following ‘blasphemy’ allegation in Bauchi State, Nigeria

Photo Credit: Himalayan Explorer/Wikipedia Commons BAUCHI STATE, Nigeria (Barnabas Aid) — Several Christians were injured and homes destroyed by a mob of Muslims in Katanga village, Bauchi State, Nigeria, after a Christian woman was accused of committing blasphemy in a WhatsApp message. The woman, Rhoda Jatau, was said to have shared a video in which […]

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