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Shafqat Emmanuel

• Acquitted Couple Finally Released!

  

  In Pakistan, many Christians have been falsely accused of blasphemy, resulting in years of imprisonment. If released, their lives are frequently in greater danger outside of prison due to the threat of mob violence --- posing them to conditions that are far more serious than those they faced while in prison. To learn more about what life is like for Christians in Pakistan, and to read about the situations they have encountered, go to our country report.

• Christian Couple Acquitted of Blasphemy

  

  After seven years on death row, Shafqat Emmanuel and his wife Shagufta Kausar were cleared of all charges against them by a Pakistani court on June 3rd, 2021. They were convicted on April 4th, 2014, after being accused of sending "blasphemous" text messages. The texts were allegedly sent from Shagufta's phone, which had gone missing a month prior and was never recovered. Furthermore, as the couple are illiterate, they would not have been able to send the alleged texts. (See this page for more details on the original conviction.)