Joseph Colony: Death penalty for man accused of blasphemy
133 await trial in ATC for arson of Christian locality.
The angry mob which destroyed many houses in the Joseph Colony. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/ EXPRESS
LAHORE:
A Christian man was given the death penalty on Thursday on charges of blasphemy. Additional District and Sessions Judge Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa announced the verdict at the trial held in jail due to security concerns.
Sawan Masih, a resident of Joseph Colony and the father of two, was also fined Rs200,000. The incident of blasphemy was followed by the arson at Joseph Colony, a Christian locality, where more than 200 houses were destroyed in 2013.
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Speaking with The Express Tribune, Sawan’s counsel, Advocate Naeem Shakir, said the judge did not consider the mitigating circumstances in Sawan’s case before awarding the maximum punishment. He said an appeal will be filed in the Lahore High Court.
Shakir said there had been a delay of 33 hours in the registration of the FIR after the incident and the prosecution had been unable to account for this delay. Additionally, the FIR did not initially mention any objectionable remarks by Sawan – the remarks, Shakir says, were added eight days after the FIR was registered, through a supplementary statement by the complainant on the police’s advice.
Seven witnesses recorded their statements against Sawan during the trial while two appeared in his favour. In his statement before the court, Sawan said he did not commit any blasphemy and accused Shahid Imran, the complainant in the FIR, and Shafiq Ahmed, who he says have made him the scapegoat in the case.
On March 7, 2013, hundreds of protesters set ablaze more than 200 houses belonging to Christians in Joseph Colony, after Sawan was accused of blasphemy. Three churches were also burnt in the locality. A day before the incident, police forced the Christians to vacate their houses, saying they would also be attacked otherwise.
An FIR was registered under the Anti Terrorism Act against 83 people accused of the arson; a supplementary statement nominated 50 more in the FIR. The case is still pending in the Anti Terrorism Courts.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2014.
A Christian man was given the death penalty on Thursday on charges of blasphemy. Additional District and Sessions Judge Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa announced the verdict at the trial held in jail due to security concerns.
Sawan Masih, a resident of Joseph Colony and the father of two, was also fined Rs200,000. The incident of blasphemy was followed by the arson at Joseph Colony, a Christian locality, where more than 200 houses were destroyed in 2013.
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.....................................................................................................................................................
Speaking with The Express Tribune, Sawan’s counsel, Advocate Naeem Shakir, said the judge did not consider the mitigating circumstances in Sawan’s case before awarding the maximum punishment. He said an appeal will be filed in the Lahore High Court.
Shakir said there had been a delay of 33 hours in the registration of the FIR after the incident and the prosecution had been unable to account for this delay. Additionally, the FIR did not initially mention any objectionable remarks by Sawan – the remarks, Shakir says, were added eight days after the FIR was registered, through a supplementary statement by the complainant on the police’s advice.
Seven witnesses recorded their statements against Sawan during the trial while two appeared in his favour. In his statement before the court, Sawan said he did not commit any blasphemy and accused Shahid Imran, the complainant in the FIR, and Shafiq Ahmed, who he says have made him the scapegoat in the case.
On March 7, 2013, hundreds of protesters set ablaze more than 200 houses belonging to Christians in Joseph Colony, after Sawan was accused of blasphemy. Three churches were also burnt in the locality. A day before the incident, police forced the Christians to vacate their houses, saying they would also be attacked otherwise.
An FIR was registered under the Anti Terrorism Act against 83 people accused of the arson; a supplementary statement nominated 50 more in the FIR. The case is still pending in the Anti Terrorism Courts.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2014.