In Chains: Christian Persecution - 2019, Issue 1

Asia Bibi Finally
Free to Leave
Pakistan
Reprinted with permission: International Christian Concern
International Christian Concern (ICC) has
learned that the Supreme Court of Pakistan
has conYirmed the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a
Christian woman formally sentenced to
death for allegedly committing blasphemy.
The decision to conYirm the acquittal was
announced by a new three judge bench led
by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.
Bibi was accused of committing blasphemy
in 2009 and was the only woman in
Pakistan’s history to be sentenced to death
under the country’s notorious blasphemy
laws. In announcing the decision to uphold
Bibi’s acquittal, Chief Justice Asif Saeed
Khosa said, “Based on merit, this petition is
dismissed.”
“Justice and truth has prevailed,” Sajid
Christopher, President of Human Friends
Organization, told ICC. “Our hats are off to the
judges. Asia is completely free now.”
“The review was not a rehearing of the case,”
Saif-Ul-Malook, Bibi’s Supreme Court
Advocate, told the media after the decision
was announced. “The court allowed the
review just to make them satisIied that
nothing on the record could be turned against
the judgement.”
On October 31, 2018, Pakistan’s Supreme
Court announced that they had acquitted
Bibi of the blasphemy charges that had kept
her on death row for nearly a decade. In
explaining its decision, the court said that
there was ultimately not enough evidence to
convict Bibi.
Following the announcement of the
acquittal, thousands of religious hardliners
took to the streets in protest. These
protesters demanded the court review its
decision and not allow Bibi to leave Pakistan
until that review had taken place.
Since her acquittal, Bibi has remained in the
custody of Pakistani authorities at a secure
location inside the country. According to
those in contact with Bibi, her conditions at
this secure location remain eerily similar to
prison. Friends of Bibi’s family explained
that Bibi was not even able to open a
window in her hideout.
Bibi was on death row since her conviction
and death sentence were announced by the
Sessions Court in Sheikhupura in 2010. The
blasphemy accusation against Bibi was
based on Ylimsy evidence following a dispute
that took place in June 2009 between Bibi
and a group of Muslim coworkers with
whom she had been harvesting berries in
Sheikhupura. The Muslim coworkers became
angry with Bibi when she, a Christian whom
they considered unclean, drank water from
the same water bowl as the Muslims. An
argument between Bibi and the Muslim
women ensued and later the Muslim
coworkers reported to a local cleric that Bibi