9 February, 2010         
Help AsiaNews | About us | P.I.M.E. |
Home | China | Islam | Economy | Freedom of religion | Vatican




Voli Low Cost Roma
Voli Milano



e-mail this to a friend printable version


» 03/28/2007 13:40
PAKISTAN
Muslims torture for hours Christian “blasphemer” now in jail
by Qaiser Felix
A mob of some 150 Muslims in Punjab stormed the home of Amanat Masih, a Protestant charged with burning some pages of the Qur’an. Police intervene after hours of torture and arrest him.

Lahore (AsiaNews) – A Christian man in Pakistan’s Punjab province was attacked on March 23 by a mob of some 150 Muslims. He was beaten and tortured for allegedly desecrating the Qur’an. The attack ended when police arrested the alleged blasphemer charging him under Section 295 B of Pakistan’s Penal Code, the so-called Blasphemy law, which could mean life in prison for him.  By contrast, his attackers were not charged.

According to a news release of ‘Sharing Life Ministry,’ a Protestant organisation, the 50-year-old Amanat Masih was accused of tearing and burning some pages from the Qur’an. A mob then descended upon his house, stormed the place, caught the alleged blasphemer, dragged him out into the streets, and tortured him.

Amanat Masih’s wife, Zohera Bibi, also complained that “Muslims grabbed 50,000 rupees (US$ 825, € 620) which I had saved for my daughter’s wedding.”

According to the report filed with the police, Masih confessed to burning the pages of the Qur’an on the advice of Liaqat Ali, a Muslim ‘faith healer,’ who was arrested.

Currently, both men are in jail at Sheikhupura District Prison.


e-mail this to a friend printable version

See also
04/27/2007 PAKISTAN
Mob and police torture Catholic man accused of blasphemy
by Qaiser Felix
11/27/2006 PAKISTAN
Two Christian men sentenced to ten years in prison for "blasphemy"
by Qaiser Felix
01/22/2007 PAKISTAN
Christian charged with blasphemy freed after two years
by Qaiser Felix
01/26/2007 PAKISTAN
Another Christian imprisoned for “blasphemy”
by Qaiser Felix
03/06/2008 PAKISTAN
An 80-year-old Ahmadi man arrested for blasphemy
by Qaiser Felix

Dossier

Editor's choices
CHINA - VIETNAM
Wei Jingsheng: China and Vietnam, economic giants on the brink of change or collapse
by Wei JingshengThe great Chinese dissident compares the two tigers of Asian Development and warns: the domestic opposition is increasing, and is increasingly determined. Even the West is disappointed: its policy of tolerance towards human rights violations, has not led to anything, not even greater economic benefits
CHINA - USA
The heroism of Google and the fear of China
by Bernardo CervelleraObama and Hillary Clinton want to end Internet censorship. But China is not willing to loosen its grip on censorship, essential in maintaining the dictatorship of the Communist Party. Relations between the two nations at the risk, while human rights activists applaud.
VIETNAM
Brother viciously beaten in Dong Chiem, a parish under siege
by J.B. An Dang In a statement to be read in all churches until next Sunday, the archdiocese of Hanoi speaks of hundreds of police agents and soldiers forcibly blocking anyone who tries to reach the Dong Chiem parish church. Those who dare approach are threatened and can be arrested.

Books
La Cina di Mao processa la Chiesa
di Angelo S.Lazzarotto
pp. 528


Il rovescio dellemedaglie
di Bernardo Cervellera
pp. 240


Il Vescovo partigiano
EMI 2007 pp. 448
di Piero Gheddo

Missione Birmania
1867-2007 I 140 anni del Pime in Myanmar
di Piero Gheddo


Alberico Crescitelli
Martire in Cina
di Angelo S. Lazzarotto e Gianni Criveller


Clemente Vismara,
il Santo dei bambini
di Piero Gheddo


Missione Cina
Viaggio nell'Impero
tra mercato e repressione
di Bernardo Cervellera
2003 © All rights reserved - Autogestione contenuti di AsiaNews C.F. e P.Iva: 00889190153 - GLACOM®
Copyright © 2003 AsiaNews C.F. 00889190153 All rights reserved. Content on this site is made available for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not reproduce, republish, sell or otherwise distribute the content or any modified or altered versions of it without the express written permission of the editor. Photos on AsiaNews.it are largely taken from the internet and thus considered to be in the public domain. Anyone contrary to their publication need only contact the editorial office which will immediately proceed to remove the photos.