by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A second Christian charged with blasphemy in Pakistan was released on bail pending trial last week after a court found there was no direct evidence in the three cases brought against him, Christian Daily International (CDI) reports.
The father of a four-year-old daughter, Zimran Asim was released on October 29 after the Lahore High Court granted bail on September 24 in the third blasphemy case registered against him, his attorney Aneeqa Maria said in a statement. The high court had granted him bail in the other two cases on July 29 and April 24, CDI reports.
“Asim was implicated only because he was seen once with the primary accused, Akash Masih,” Maria said. “Zimran Asim’s case is a fitting example of how innocent people are implicated in false cases by individuals as well as the police. This poor man was forced to suffer in prison, away from his family for over one year. They also lost their home and can’t even think of going back to their village.”
“I believe the blatant misuse of the laws has made the situation equally dangerous for blasphemy accused, their defense counsels as well as rights defenders,” Maria added. “The government must take this issue seriously in order to protect innocent lives and break this environment of fear.”
Asim became the second Christian charged with blasphemy to be released on bail after a high court found there major defects in the case against Chand Shamaun, who was freed on October 23. Shamaun is accused of inciting religious tensions in Okara, Punjab Province, by threatening to desecrate the Quran, CDI reports.
Ruled by an Islamic government which has approved harsh blasphemy laws, Pakistan ranks 7 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest Stories from Worthy News
In his second English-language video addressed to the Iranian people in recent months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Tuesday that a third Iranian attack on Israel would “simply cripple Iran’s economy.”
Ahead of tomorrow’s deadline for Israel to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has decided not to withhold weapons from Israel. This decision comes despite a warning from the White House a month ago, conveyed through a letter, that Israel had 30 days to improve conditions in Gaza or face a potential arms embargo.
President-Elect Donald Trump announced that he would appoint John Radcliffe, the former Director of National Intelligence (DNI), as the new Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in his administration.
Around 12,000 people of all ages last month took part in the first “March for Jesus” ever held in Ireland’s capital city of Dublin, Christian Daily International (CDI) reports.
President-Elect Trump has called for a the end of censorship and called for Congress to pass a ‘digital bill of rights’ in order to restore freedom of speech to U.S. citizens.