Protests after Pakistan frees Christian woman sentenced to death over blasphemy
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Supporters of the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan, Islamist political party chant slogans, during a protest in Peshawar. (REUTERS/Fayaz Aziz)
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE (Reuters) - Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday freed a Christian woman from a death sentence for blasphemy against Islam and overturned her conviction, sparking angry protests and death threats from an ultra-Islamist party and cheers from human rights advocates.
Asia Bibi, a mother of four, had been living on death row since 2010, when she became the first woman to be sentenced to death by hanging under Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws
She was condemned for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbors objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim. Bibi has always denied committing blasphemy.
Bibi did not appear in the courtroom and her whereabouts were a closely held secret for fear of attacks on her and her family. Many have speculated they will be forced to leave the country, but there was no confirmation of their plans.
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Supporters of Islamist political party Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) immediately condemned Wednesday's ruling and blocked roads in major cities, pelting police with stones in the eastern city of Lahore.
Street protests and blockades of major roads were spreading by mid-afternoon, paralyzing parts of Islamabad, Lahore and other cities.
One of the TLP's top leaders called for the death of Nisar, the chief justice, and the two other judges on the panel.
"They all three deserve to be killed. Either their security should kill them, their driver kill them, or their cook kill them," TLP co-founder Muhammad Afzal Qadri told a protest in Lahore.
"Whoever, who has got any access to them, kill them before the evening."
In November, TLP staged a crippling blockade of Islamabad after small changes to a religious oath taken by election candidates, which it said were tantamount to blasphemy. Seven people were killed and more than 200 wounded in clashes with the police and TLP's supporters only dispersed after striking a deal with the military.
Rights groups say the blasphemy law is exploited by religious extremists as well as ordinary Pakistanis to settle personal scores.
Additionally, at least 65 people have been murdered over blasphemy allegations since 1990, including a 23-year-old student beaten to death on his university campus last year.
Religion is a wonderful thing-- and its nice to see believers protecting us from these evil blasphemers!
What are theocrats to do with apostates and blasphemers everywhere?
They can't just let it go? Fundies take all the fun out of fundamentalism.