An International Ministerial Conference dedicated to promoting religious freedom, and driving forward international efforts to defend freedom of religion or belief for all, was held in London on July 5th and 6th. The event brought together experts and diplomats from across the globe who shared knowledge and discussed the strategies and actions to promote and protect religious freedom for everyone, everywhere. They discussed the current challenges to religious freedom and shared best practices to tackle discrimination and prevent violations and abuses committed against vulnerable groups.
At this juncture, Lord David Alton, a Member of the House of Lords, and Joël Voordewind, a former member of parliament from the Christian Union, a political party in the Netherlands, on behalf of the Jubilee Campaign, known for actively supporting the campaign to repeal the death penalty for apostasy and blasphemy across the world, have once again appealed for the same.
Lord David Alton and Joël Voordewind, holding the placards, have demanded the immediate release of Shagufta Kiran, who has been behind the bar for almost a year, for allegedly committing blasphemy in a WhatsApp group in Pakistan. She was booked under several charges including; Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, punishable with death. The family members of Shagufta are bound to take refuge in safer places ever since she was arrested.
On July 29, 2021, Shagufta Kiran, a Christian mother of four children, was accused and arrested in an armed police raid on her home in Islamabad where several policemen entered their home and forcefully pushed Shagufta away, used foul language, slapped her daughter, bound her sons’ hands behind their backs, and threatened them of dire consequences for committing blasphemy. The police confiscated their cell phones, laptops, and other valuables. The entire family, including Shagufta’s two sons (Shafan & Asad) and a daughter (Nihaal), were arrested without an arrest warrant, however, her daughter was released in the evening on the same day, and her two sons in the morning the next day.
An FIR # 54/2021 was lodged, and she was booked against charges under section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and 295-A, 295-C, 298, 298-A, 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, stating that Shagufta has transmitted/disseminated publically the blasphemous content in the WhatsApp group titled “Pure Discussion”. In a court hearing held on 10 January 2022, a charge sheet against Shagufta was presented, and she got her statement recorded before the honorable Raja Asif Mahmood, Judge Prevention of Electronic Crimes Court, Islamabad which states “she does not plead guilty to the charge regarding commission of blasphemy leveled against her”.
Lord David Alton stated that the death penalty should not be imposed on non-violent conduct such as offending a religion or leaving a religion. Lord Alton explained that he had visited Pakistan in 2019 where he heard how the Ahmadi, Sufi, and Christian communities endured oppression. Lord Alton expressed his concerns about the misuse of blasphemy laws as well as the acts of violence such as the murder of governor Salman Taseer, who dared to speak out against these laws. Lord Alton mentioned that 12 nations maintain the death penalty for apostasy and/or blasphemy. He affirms his wish to have the death sentence abolished for apostasy and blasphemy.
Joël Voordewind said that blasphemy laws support the majority religion in a way that impermissibly discriminates against other groups in Pakistan, promotes intolerance and emboldens extremist groups to commit acts of violence against minorities. He noted that dozens of people have been lynched to death in Pakistan on the mere accusation of blasphemy, and countless others languish in jails for years with no hope of getting justice, whereas the lawyers, fearing for their own lives refuse to defend the accused. He requests that the government of Pakistan abolishes the death sentence for blasphemy laws.
The Chairman of the Voice for Justice, Joseph Jansen said that everyone should enjoy the right to hold opinions without interference, and states must guarantee religious freedom for all in law and in practice. It is lamentable that blasphemy charges are being used to stifle discussion and dissent in several countries of the world, including Pakistan. He observed that the application of blasphemy laws has resulted in individuals being jailed for professing a different belief or being falsely accused of offensive statements. He demanded that the government of Pakistan must abolish, or profoundly reform, its domestic laws on defamation and blasphemy in accordance with international human rights law, and it must implement measures to prevent violence, persecution, and discrimination on the basis of religion and stop the misuse of the blasphemy laws by requiring all cases to undergo prior judicial review before charges may proceed
