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Pakistan’s Supreme Court Acquits Christian Woman of Blasphemy Charges


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pakistans-supreme-court-acquits-christian-woman-blasphemy-charges

Jeffrey Cimmino
October 31, 2018

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted a Christian woman who has been on death row for nearly eight years on blasphemy charges.

Asia Bibi was accused of defiling the name of the Prophet Mohammed during an argument with Muslim colleagues in 2009, and she was convicted of blasphemy the following year and sentenced to death. But the mother of five won her appeal against the conviction this week, CNN reported.

The acquittal prompted protests in Islamabad and Lahore, where the demonstrations quickly became large enough that government officials urged people to stay inside. Members of the Islamist movement Tehreek-e Labbaik staged sit-ins and yelled slogans against Pakistani officials.

Police officials invoked Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which prohibits the gathering of more than four people.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called the protests a "disgusting response" to the acquittal.

"You are not aiding Islam by talking about killing judges and by killing our generals who have sacrificed so much for our country," Khan said. "I am appealing to our people: Do not get caught up by the worlds of these people who only want to increase their vote bank."

Quoting Shakespeare, Pakistan's Supreme Court said Bibi had been "more sinned against than sinning."

(Snip)

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