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Christian Woman To Be Sentenced To Death Under Pakistan's Controvers

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  • Christian Woman To Be Sentenced To Death Under Pakistan's Controvers

    CHRISTIAN WOMAN TO BE SENTENCED TO DEATH UNDER PAKISTAN'S CONTROVERSIAL BLASPHEMY LAW

    PanARMENIAN.Net
    November 23, 2010 - 19:14 AMT 15:14 GMT

    Pakistan will not repeal its controversial blasphemy law but may
    amend it to prevent abuse because scrapping the legislation could fuel
    Islamist militancy, a government minister said on Tuesday, November 23.

    The law, which carries the death penalty for insulting Islam or its
    Prophet Mohammad, has come under the spotlight this month after a
    court sentenced a Christian mother of four, Asia Bibi, to death in
    a case stemming from a village dispute.

    Widespread media attention on the case has led to renewed appeals
    by human rights groups for the repeal of the law but Minister for
    Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti said that would not happen.

    "(Repeal) is not being considered though we are considering changing
    it so that misuse of the law should be stopped," Bhatti told Reuters.

    The law enjoys widespread support in Pakistan, which is more than 95
    percent Muslim, and politicians are loathe to be seen as soft on the
    defense of the religion.

    Blasphemy convictions are common although the death sentence has
    never been carried out. Most convictions are thrown out on appeal,
    but angry mobs have killed many people accused of blasphemy.

    Asia Bibi, mother of four, is the first woman to be sentenced to death
    under Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law which rights groups
    say is often exploited by religious extremists as well as ordinary
    Pakistanis to settle personal scores.

    The 36-year-old farm worker was taken into custody by police in
    June last year and was convicted by a lower court on Nov. 8. She has
    been in prison since then, with her case drawing international media
    attention as well as appeals by human rights groups, and, according
    to Pakistani media, Pope Benedict.

    Bibi's brother-in-law George Masih told Reuters that she was arrested
    for allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammad after a dispute with
    fellow workers in the town of Nankana in Pakistan's Punjab province.




    From: A. Papazian
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