April 29 2003

A Pakistani Christian from Faisalabad was sentenced to life in prison and fined for blasphemy on April 26.

Ranjha Masih, aged 54, was fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees ('660) and sentenced for making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Mohammed.

He is the third Christian to be convicted of blasphemy by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad (approx 100km west of Lahore in northern Pakistan) in less than a year.

He was arrested on May 8 1998 while taking part in a demonstration to commemorate the suicide (in protest against the blasphemy law) of Catholic Bishop Dr John Joseph of Faisalabad and to show their support for his stand.

Thousands of Christians took to the streets of Faisalabad on that day when Bishop John Joseph was buried, and emotions ran high.

Some young Christians, distressed by the suicide of their well-respected spiritual leader, started throwing stones at nearby vehicles and shops. Angry Muslims responded by attacking Christian homes and businesses in the vicinity.

When a signboard with 'There is no God but Allah and the Prophet Mohammed is His Messenger' (the Kalima Tayyaba or proclamation of Islamic faith) written on it, fell to the ground, Ranjha Masih was blamed for stoning and damaging the board, and was severely beaten by a mob of Muslims.

On receiving a complaint from Muhammad Jahanzeb, the son of former mayor of Faisalabad Malik Muhammad Ashraf on the same day, officers from the Faisalabad Rail Bazaar Police Station arrested Ranjha Masih and registered a case under section 295C Pakistan Penal Code (the blasphemy law) against him.

The Christian Liberation Front (CLF), a Pakistan-based human rights group that has been monitoring the case from the beginning, told Christian Solidarity Worldwide that the case against Ranjha Masih was registered without proper investigation and the police have so far failed to produce sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegation.

According to Shahbaz Bhatti, the Chairman of CLF, who was present at the trial, Islamic militants in the area have been demanding the death penalty for Ranjha Masih. The courtroom was packed with Islamic religious leaders and the presiding judge appeared confused when delivering his decision.

Ranjha Masih who has been in Faisalabad Central jail since his arrest is said to be depressed but strong in his Christian faith.

He said: "I will be happy if the sacrifice of my life could contribute to the abolition of the blasphemy law, although I am falsely involved and being punished for a crime that I did not commit. The prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ are strength for me."

CLF intends to file an appeal on behalf of Ranjha Masih within the next 30 days.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide is submitting the case of Ranjha Masih to the attention of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. CSW is also raising his case with the European Parliament and the US government.

Stuart Windsor, CSW's National Director, criticised the judgement in this case: "The decision of the District and Sessions Court represents a grave injustice to Ranjha Masih. Intimidation from the Islamic clerics and the atmosphere surrounding the trial denied him any chance of a fair trial.

"Faisalabad is the stronghold of several Islamist organisations including the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba. Pressure from these militant groups and certain extreme clerics are keeping the blasphemy law alive. We will be supporting the CLF in their work to set this man and others free and to repeal the blasphemy law, which causes so much sectarian tension."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Bishop John Joseph, the bishop of Faisalabad, killed himself in front of the court house in Sahiwal on May 6 1998 to register his protest against the death sentence awarded to Ayub Masih, another Christian convicted under the blasphemy law, and to draw international attention to the injustice of the law.

Ayub Masih was released on appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in August 2002.

In May 2002, Aslam Masih, a Christian pastor from Faisalabad District, was given two life sentences and a large fine for allegedly defiling the Qur'an (s.295B) and Prophet Mohammed (s.295C) by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad
In June 2002, Augustine Ashiq Masih (alias Kungri Masih) from Mohalla Saeedabad, Faisalabad District, was given the mandatory death sentence plus a heavy fine by the same court.