Five Pakistani Christians who were falsely accused of blasphemy in April 2007 (click here for more) were recently acquitted of the charges, according to a January 23 report from Compass Direct. The district judge acquitted Salamat Masih (42), his son Rashid (16), and their three relatives on January 13 after the Muslim witnesses withdrew their testimony. The acquittal comes as a result of out of court meetings held between Muslim leaders and a representative of the Christian organization Sharing Life Ministries Pakistan. In these meetings, the Christian representative was able to convince the Muslim leaders that the alleged blasphemy claims grew from a misunderstanding, prompting the Muslims to issue a religious edict declaring the innocence of the believers.
To learn more about the persecution of believers in Pakistan, visit the Pakistan Country Report.
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