Blasphemy accusations in Pakistan can lead to serious unrest, with religious minorities being particularly vulnerable. Amnesty International (AI) has called for the repeal of these laws, arguing that they violate human rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and expression under Articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 2023, two Christian brothers were arrested for blasphemy, and in 2022, a woman was sentenced to death over blasphemous WhatsApp messages.
Key takeaways:
- A Pakistani court sentenced a 22-year-old student to death and a teenager to life imprisonment under the country's blasphemy laws.
- The charges were based on alleged blasphemous WhatsApp messages, with the 22-year-old's father maintaining his son's innocence and planning to appeal the conviction.
- Blasphemy accusations in Pakistan can spark unrest and are particularly threatening to religious minorities, with Amnesty International urging Pakistan to repeal these laws as they violate human rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and freedom of expression.
- In August 2023, two Christian brothers were arrested for blasphemy in Pakistan, accused of ripping pages from the Quran, and in January 2022, a woman was sentenced to death for blasphemous WhatsApp messages.