Muslim lawyer for Asia Bibi says government ignored legal requirements in blasphemy case

August 03, 2015

The lawyer representing Asia Bibi before Pakistan’s highest court has charged that the country’s government is responsible for the plight of the Christian woman, who remains on death row, convicted of blasphemy without clear evidence.

“Many legal requirements have been ignored” in the Bibi case, Saiful Malook told the AsiaNews service. He said that shari’a law requires that a person accused of blasphemy must confess, or testimony against them must be independently verified. “All these requirements have been ignored” in the Bibi case, he remarked.

Malook also charged that the government has failed to “stop the militants from attacking those accused of insulting the prophet Muhammed, or setting fire to their homes.”

Malook, who is a Muslim, has won a Supreme Court decision halting the execution of Bibi and ordering a new trial. He told AsiaNews that after winning that decision, he remained in court for hours to avoid a confrontation with angry Muslim militants. He has taken extra precautions with his own personal security because of the violence against Christians and those who defend them.

 

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Further information:

• Asia Bibi’s lawyer speaks out: Pakistani government is solely responsible for situation (AsiaNews)