Woman sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan amid ongoing human rights concerns

Quetta [Pakistan], September 20 (ANI): A woman was sentenced to death on Thursday under the Pakistan Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in a blasphemy case. Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka convicted her under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 11 of PECA.
In addition to the death penalty, the court imposed a fine of PKR 100,000. The case was initiated by the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) cybercrime wing based on a complaint from a private citizen, Shiraz Ahmed, Dawn reported.
According to the FIR, the woman was accused of posting blasphemous content about the Holy Prophet (PBUH) on social media in September 2020. The FIA registered a case against her on July 29, 2021. As a mother of four, she sought bail from both the trial court and the Islamabad High Court (IHC), but both applications were denied.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed serious concern regarding the alleged extrajudicial killings of two individuals accused of blasphemy: a hotel owner in Quetta who was killed while in custody and a doctor in Umarkot during a police raid.
HRCP posted on X, stating, "The government must conduct an independent inquiry to ascertain who was responsible for the doctor's death in Umarkot and ensure that those accountable are brought to justice. On a broader level, the state must counter the rising radicalization, much of which has historically been sponsored by the state itself, that triggers such incidents."

HRCP is gravely concerned by the alleged extrajudicial killing of two people accused of blasphemy: a hotel owner in Quetta while in custody, and a doctor in Umarkot during a police raid. This pattern of violence in cases of blasphemy, in which law enforcement personnel are…

— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) September 19, 2024

Earlier, a report from the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ), a US-based non-profit organisation advocating for justice and human rights globally, revealed that Pakistan's blasphemy laws are being misused.
The CFJ reported that 15 of the accused face mandatory death sentences if convicted. However, there has been minimal progress in most cases, with 217 out of 252 hearings adjourned, leaving many defendants in pre-trial detention.
The CFJ's report criticized these laws for their inconsistency with international standards, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Despite existing safeguards, such as the requirement for government approval to press charges, these procedures are often ignored.
The report also noted that defendants are frequently arrested without warrants, denied bail, and subjected to repeated adjournments due to absent witnesses, prolonging their legal struggles. (ANI)