Top Pakistan Court Upholds Blasphemy Acquittal of Christian Woman

By Asif Shahzad

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who had spent years on death row after being convicted of blasphemy. The court dismissed a petition from Islamist groups that had called for her execution.

This decision permits Bibi, who has been residing under tight security at an undisclosed location, the freedom to leave Pakistan and pursue asylum in another country.

"On merit, this petition is dismissed," Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa stated, noting that the petitioners, led by a local prayer leader, failed to identify any errors in the original judgment, which was founded on false evidence.

In November, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned that discussions were ongoing with Pakistan regarding assistance for Bibi, yet no updates on her location or plans have emerged following the court’s ruling.

The case attracted global attention, highlighting Pakistan’s stringent blasphemy laws and the challenging circumstances faced by its Christian minority, which constitutes about 1.6 percent of the predominantly Sunni Muslim population exceeding 200 million.

Bibi, a farm worker, was convicted in 2010 for allegedly making derogatory comments about Islam after her neighbors, upset that she drank from their glass because she was not Muslim, accused her of blasphemy.

Her conviction was overturned in October, leading to protests from religious extremists calling for her death and urging the government to prevent her from leaving the country.

Under pressure from days of protests in Islamabad and other cities, the government agreed to restrict Bibi’s departure until the Supreme Court reviewed the petition.

Since her release from death row in October, Bibi has been in hiding, consistently denying the blasphemy charges against her.

"FALSE EVIDENCE"

Just hours before the Supreme Court’s ruling, Shafeeq Ameeni, the acting leader of the hardline Tehreek-e Labaik group responsible for last year’s protests, issued a warning to the court against ruling in favor of Bibi.

Ameeni did not immediately comment after the decision, but during the proceedings, Chief Justice Khosa was critical of the petitioners’ effort to reverse the judgment.

He emphasized that Bibi’s conviction was based on false evidence and highlighted inconsistencies within the testimonies presented in the case.

"Do you think we issue a death sentence based on false evidence?" Khosa remarked. "Such lies were told that one statement contradicts another."

He condemned the practice of declaring someone deserving of death solely based on unsubstantiated claims.

Amnesty International urged that Bibi be granted the opportunity to reunite with her family and seek safety in a country of her choice.

"The authorities must also resist and investigate any attempts to intimidate the Supreme Court," stated Rimmel Mohydin, a campaigner for Amnesty International in South Asia.