Catholic sentenced to death on blasphemy charge

THE TRIAL court of Lahore in Pakistan on 27 March sentenced Sawan Masih, a Catholic, to death for blasphemy.

Following the blasphemy allegation against Masih in March last year, thousands of Muslims, urged on by clerics, went on a rampage in the Joseph Colony, Lahore’s Christian district, setting on fire and damaging 178 houses, 18 shops and two churches.
Joseph Francis, director of CLAAS (Centre for Legal Aid Assistance-Settlement) which has been providing assistance to Mr Masih, said in a press statement on 31 March that the trial was based on a “false accusation” of blasphemy.

CLAAS said that Mr Masih was framed “in a false case of insulting the Prophet Muhammad during the course of conversation with a Muslim friend” at the Joseph Colony concerning a property dispute. Mr Masih appealed against his conviction on Tuesday saying that the charges were fabricated to accelerate the eviction of Christians from the area.

The sentence evoked protests from opposition parties in the National Assembly, decrying the persecution of minority communities particularly on trumped up blasphemy charges.