wfn.org | Pakistan's Blasphemy Law

[Sheila MESA <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release
For Immediate Use
13 May 1998

WCC CALLS ON PAKISTAN TO REPEL BLASPHEMY LAW

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has called on the government of
Pakistan to take immediate steps to repeal its blasphemy law which
carries a mandatory death sentence and which the WCC says is being
abused and misused by extremists.                                                            
           
The WCC call comes after the recent death in Pakistan of a Roman
Catholic Bishop, Dr John Joseph, who publicly killed himself as a protest
against the use of the blasphemy law.

In a letter to the Pakistani Ambassador in Geneva, H.E. Mr. Munir Akram,
the WCC says, "For some time, the World Council of Churches has been
receiving reports of discriminatory practices and of persecution of
religious minorities in Pakistan, including Christians, Ahmadiyas and
Hindus.  These are well documented by the Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan, other non-governmental organizations and the churches with
whom we are in close contact.  Our immediate concern is the frequent
persecution and victimization of Christians that have resulted from
unwarranted and indiscriminate application of Section 295-C of the
Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) relating to the laws of blasphemy.  Misusing
the blasphemy law, extremist elements and groups have freely incited
religious hatred and animosity against the religious minorities.  This has
greatly contributed to the growing environment of religious intolerance
and has placed religious minorities under a state of siege."

The letter adds, "The recent death of Dr. John Joseph, the Bishop of
Faisalabad diocese, is evidence of the level of frustration and despair
among members of the Christian community in Pakistan.  In the present
climate of fear and intolerance, it has become difficult for those charged
under blasphemy law to get a fair trial.  In fact, since the killing of Retired
Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti, it has become extremely difficult to engage the
services of a defence lawyer  Most lawyers now decline their services
because of threats from extremist groups against them and their families 
According to reliable information we have received, even judges of the
Superior Courts are reluctant to have the blasphemy law cases fixed
before them for hearings for similar reasons."

Mr Clement John of the WCC's International Affairs staff is monitoring the
situation in Pakistan.  Mr John is himself a Pakistani and a human rights
lawyer.  He says, "The situation has now become very serious.  The
blasphemy law is being used and abused.  In addition, fear of reprisals
from extremists now means lawyers are scared to act for clients
charged under the blasphemy law; the due process of law for those
charged with blasphemy offences no longer really exists.  The Pakistan
government needs to act, and to act fast."

Clement John is available for interview.

**********
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 332, in
more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions.  The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but
works cooperatively with the WCC.  The highest governing body is the
Assembly, which meets approximately every seven years.  The WCC
was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  Its staff is
headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church
in Germany.

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