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Acquitted

• Christian Acquitted of Blasphemy

  

  After spending more than six years in prison, and being sentenced to death for blasphemy, Sawan Masih was acquitted on October 5th by the Lahore High Court. He was arrested in 2013 after a neighbour accused him of calling Mohammed a false prophet during a conversation. Sawan denies the accusation, claiming that it was part of a plot to drive Christians from the community and seize their properties for industrial use.

• Asia Bibi Freed; Pervaiz Masih Acquitted

  

  In a much-anticipated decision, Pakistan's top court has rejected a challenge to the acquittal of a Christian woman on blasphemy charges. The ruling is the final legal option, allowing Asia Bibi to freely leave the country.

  Originally convicted in 2010 after accusations of insulting Mohammed, Asia spent eight years on death row. The case has polarized the country, and government leaders who provided their support have been killed. The Supreme Court threw out all charges against the accused believer on October 31st, at which time she was taken into protective custody due to threats against her life. Although a final appeal was filed, the Supreme Court ruled on January 29th that the petitioners gave no evidence that the original acquittal was wrong. In fact, the Chief Justice stated that, if the case had not been so sensitive, her accusers would be guilty of perjury and should be jailed for life.

• Asia Bibi Acquitted!

  

  After more than nine years in prison, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled on October 31st to throw out all charges against Asia Bibi, removing the death sentence against her for blasphemy.

  In their ruling, the judges noted the contradictory evidence from witnesses. An alleged confession by Asia was ruled to be coerced. Announcing the verdict, Justice Nisar declared that tolerance is a basic principle of Islam, which requires proof beyond reasonable doubt. In a further opinion released with the judgement, Justice Khosa made a strong statement against the accusers: "Blasphemy is a serious offence but the insult of the appellant's religion and religious sensibilities by the complainant party, and then mixing truth with falsehood in the name of (Muhammad), was also not short of being blasphemous." To view the full English text of the judgement, along with the supporting opinion, go to this page.

• Christian Acquitted

  

  In April 2016, Idir Hamdad was returning to Algeria from a study trip to Amman, Jordan. When his luggage was inspected at the airport upon return, customs officials found his Bible and some other Christian books, along with some cross-shaped keychains he had been given. He was interrogated for eight hours, during which time the officers insulted his faith and told him that if he renounced Christianity, he would be freed.