By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) - An attorney in Pakistan has expressed hope for a young Christian man on death row for “blasphemy” against Islam after a court acquitted him in a case related to the same alleged incident.
Noman Masih, 24, who spent years in prison, was “illegally charged twice” for allegedly insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, ruled the court in Bahawalnagar city, trial observers said.
The “Bahawalnagar Additional Sessions Judge Sarfaraz Ahmed on February 20 admitted my arguments that the case against my client Noman Masih came under the principle of double jeopardy. [That] clearly states that no person can be prosecuted or punished,” said his attorney Lazar Allah Rakha in a statement.
His remarks, distributed by the Christian Daily International-Morning Star News outlets on Wednesday, added to hope among believers that the Christian may be released one day.
He and his cousin, Sunny Waqas, were detained in 2019 after police filed charges against them under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy statutes.
Police officials claimed that Waqas printed “blasphemous” sketches of Islam’s prophet Muhammad and showed them to others. Waqas allegedly told police that his cousin Noman Masih had shared the images with him.
Wagas was freed on bail, but Mashin received a sentence of death by hanging in May 2023 after a lengthy trial, though prosecutors “failed to provide any evidence” against him, Rakha and other sources said.
RAISING HOPE
“The February 20 acquittal in the Bahawalnagar case has raised hope that the Lahore High Court will consider Masih’s appeal against the death sentence on merit and order his acquittal, “Rakha said.
“I’m 1,000 percent confident that the high court will set aside Masih’s conviction when it examines the lacunas in the prosecution’s story that the trial court had ignored,” he added. “Masih will, God willing, soon reunite with his family.”
His case highlighted broader concerns about Christians and others being detained for blasphemy in Pakistan, a strict Islamic nation.
“Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws are often used to target minority groups, but Christians are disproportionately affected,” said Christian advocacy group Open Doors in a recent assessment. “Indeed, roughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations target Christians, who only make up 1.8 percent of the population” of nearly 248 million, the group added.
Pakistan ranks 7th on the Open Doors’ annual World Watch List of 50 nations where it says Christians face most persecution, including violence.
“The devastating attack on the Christian community in Jaranwala in August 2023 was a sobering reminder of the hostile environment facing many believers in Pakistan. The attack on more than 20 churches and almost 100 homes was in response to allegations that two believers had desecrated the Koran,” deemed a holy book by Muslims, the group recalled.
Pakistan has come under international pressure to overturn blasphemy legislation that critics claim contributed to an atmosphere of hatred towards non-Muslim minorities, including Christians.