'Death of justice' Death penalty for Sawan Masih accused of blasphemy

Lahore:Today 27 March,2014 the trial court of Mr.Choudhary Ghulam Murtaza additional and session Judge,Lahore announced a judgement in the case of Sawan Masih,accused of blasphemy,case FIR No.112/2013 under section 295 C of PPC."The accused Sawan Masih is hereby convicted under section 295-C PPC and sentenced him to death.He shall be hanged by neck till he be dead.He is also awarded fine Rs.200,000/- in default of payment of fine 6 months S.I."

Mr. Gill told that According to the FIR there is no substantial proof  by which the allegation under section 295 C PPC was made out, but after the establishment of the second written application to SP Investigation City Division by complainant Shahid Imran mentioned that Swan said “Our Jesus will come back again and must come back and He is the Son of God” and said SOME DEROGATORY WORDS about PROPHET OF ISLAM” which is after thought and consultation, which makes the story of the prosecution highly doubtful. 

We condemn this death sentence which has created a fear of insecurity among Christian in Pakistan.

LEAD,in April,2013,had filed the bail petition on behalf of Sawan Masih in the same Court but unfortunately the bail petition was withdrawn by making superseding the power of attorney of LEAD's lawyers by Masih's trial defense counsel. Last Report on bail

"The bail is legal remedy of every accused in every case to avail it by two ways before arrest and after arrest,so we had to avail this legal remedy in the case of Sawan Masih too which was tried by LEAD's lawyers but this was made deliberately ignored by his trial defense counsels,"told Advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill,a Human Rights Defender and Chief of LEAD.

LEAD also ,in June,2013,had petitioned the Lahore High Court to cancel the bail of  Extremists who were allegedly involved in anti-Christian violence in Joseph Colony,Bedami Bagh Lahore which is still pending to decide.

LEAD request to all Human Rights Organizations to stand with us and effort to raise voice to repeal blasphemy law in Pakistan.Our further request to support our work.