Pakistani Christian man to appeal death sentence for blasphemy

Christian man to appeal blasphemy death sentence in Pakistan

Robert Besser
24 Apr 2025, 13:41 GMT+10

Pakistani Christian man to appeal death sentence for blasphemy

A Christian man in the town of Jaranwala, in eastern Pakistan, will appeal a death sentence given to him by an anti-terrorism court, his lawyer said over the weekend
The 36-year-old was found guilty of blasphemy after being accused of damaging the Muslim holy book, the Koran
These accusations led to violent attacks in 2023, where hundreds of Christian homes and churches were burned, and thousands of people had to flee

LAHORE, Pakistan: A Christian man in the town of Jaranwala, in eastern Pakistan, will appeal a death sentence given to him by an anti-terrorism court, his lawyer said over the weekend.

The 36-year-old was found guilty of blasphemy after being accused of damaging the Muslim holy book, the Koran. These accusations led to violent attacks in 2023, where hundreds of Christian homes and churches were burned, and thousands of people had to flee.

"We will appeal the decision in the High Court," his lawyer Akmal Bhatti told Reuters.

In Pakistan, blasphemy can lead to the death penalty, though no one has officially been executed for it. However, many people accused of blasphemy have been killed by angry crowds.

Just last week in Karachi, a mob of 100 to 200 people beat a 47-year-old man to death with bricks and sticks. He was an Ahmadi, a member of a minority group that is often targeted and accused of blasphemy in Pakistan.