News

Blasphemy

10 posts.

12 June

Pakistan court upholds death sentence of Christian brothers in blasphemy case

Pakistan’s abuse of its religious minorities continues, with long imprisonments and faulty decisions once again putting people at risk of the death penalty

01 June

In God's Name

An excellent article discussing Pakistan’s unfortunate focus on blasphemy laws and the ongoing ability of extremists to use blaspheme charges to punish religious minorities

28 January

Pakistani Christian man imprisoned 4 years on false blasphemy charges is granted bail

Even being given bail in Pakistan does not mean the ordeal is over for those charged with blasphemy. In fact, sometimes it means more danger.

14 August

A Christian woman from Pakistan reveals how God transformed an ‘ordinary Christian’ on death row

The case of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy in 2010 and acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2018, shone a global spotlight on the use and abuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan.

24 January

Violating Rights: Enforcing the World’s Blasphemy Laws

For more information on blasphemy laws around the world, please see USCIRF's recent comprehensive report.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons
22 September

Seeking a Viable Alternative to Indonesia’s Blasphemy Laws

Instead of criminalizing blasphemy, Indonesia should focus on penalizing incitement to discrimination, hostility, and violence.

Asif Pervaiz (right) with attorney Saiful Malook (center) at prison. (Morning Star News)
08 September

Another Christian Sentenced to Death in Pakistan on Weak Blasphemy Charges

A court in Lahore, Pakistan has sentenced a Christian to death over charges that he allegedly sent “blasphemous” text messages to a Muslim colleague seven years ago, his lawyer said.

13 July

The relationship between blasphemy laws and religious extremism in the Middle East and North Africa

While an estimated 69 countries across the globe possess blasphemy laws of some kind, no geographical region has as many countries with such laws as the Middle East and North Africa. In many of these countries the penalties are among the most severe.

17 June

Blasphemy a Capital Offense in Some Countries, Expunged in Others

More than seventy of the world’s countries have some kind of anti-blasphemy laws, the worst of which are Iran Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Qatar, Egypt and Italy. Western nations have no blasphemy laws so detractors may say what they want.