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Pray for Qamar David, sentenced to life in prison under Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws Last week we asked you to pray for Qamar David, a Pakistani Christian who was on trial for alleged blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed. CSW is sad to report that Qamar was sentenced on Thursday to life imprisonment. This verdict has been described as “biased and prejudiced” by a source close to Qamar. The evidence against him is said to be based on hearsay, and an accused Muslim in a parallel case was fully acquitted on the same facts. External pressure on the courts may have distorted the course of justice in Qamar’s case. Threatened for defending a Christian Parvez Choudhry from Legal Aid for Destitute and Settlement (LADS) in Lahore, who CSW works closely with, has been representing Qamar in court. He has made the long journey between Lahore and Karachi many times, at great personal expense, and receives regular death threats against him, his family and his organisation. He and Qamar frequently suffer physical and verbal abuse in and around the courtroom. Threats and abuse increased in the run up to the verdict. At the hearing on 9 February, Parvez received further threats that he and the accused would be killed. Attempts were made to beat him but other lawyers and the police intervened to stop this. That evening, he received another call stating that he and his family would be killed because he was defending a blasphemer. Thank you so much for your prayers for their safety – we’re delighted to report that they were not attacked physically during this last hearing. Background Qamar is from Hamza town in Lahore, but owns a paint business in Karachi. On 8 June 2006 he was charged with blasphemy under Sections 295A and 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, based on claims made by business rivals. He was accused of sending text messages which contained derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed. The blasphemy law stipulates that any person who ‘defiles’ the name of the Prophet is liable for blasphemy, punishable by a mandatory death sentence, with no right to reprieve or pardon. In practice this sentence is usually commuted to life imprisonment. Qamar has been held in the Central Jail in Karachi since 2006, where previously he has reportedly been threatened and beaten by the prison officials as well as other prisoners. Read more about Pakistan in the latest Response newsletter. |
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