Intro to ‘Fresh Call
for Release of Asia Bibi’
By Dan Wooding
Intro by John R. Houk, blog Editor
Intro by John R. Houk, blog Editor
May 17, 2016
If you read this blog you may have run into some occasional posts
about Pakistani-Christian Asia Bibi sentenced to death for defending
Christianity from Muslim bigot gals at a well after demonstrations of Asia for
drinking out of the Muslim well after some laborious work. In Pakistan they
call that blasphemy. A blasphemy charge is punishable in the Pakistan rule of
law by a death sentence. Asia Bibi has been on death row awaiting the sentence
of hanging to be carried out if Western nations fail to pressure the Pakistan
government. She has been in a hostile to
Christians-hostile prison since about 2009 and on death row since 2011.
The Oxford Human
Rights Hub briefly describes Pakistan’s blasphemy law and
briefly describes the unfair way Asia Bibi’s unfair trial presentation even
according to Pakistan jurisprudence:
Section 295-C criminalizes words,
representations, imputations, innuendos, or insinuations, which directly or
indirectly, lead to “defiling the sacred name of the Holy Prophet” (PBUH). If
proven, the offence carries a mandatory death penalty. As is evident from a
plain reading of the provision, elements of the offence are vague and
over-broad, open to subjective interpretations, and give virtually no
instruction to the public, law enforcement officials or the judiciary regarding
what behavior is prohibited.
During proceeding’s in Asia bibi’s
case, for example, there was no debate about which of the three alleged
statements were blasphemous, what the “reasonable person” standard required to
be met in the interpretation of Section 295-C was, or whether Asia bibi
possessed the requisite criminal intent to commit the crime. Yet, she was convicted for blasphemy and sentenced to
death. (Asia Bibi’s “Unfair Trial”; By Admin.; Oxford Human Rights Hub;
8/10/15)
One source’s description of an idiotic blasphemy violation:
Asia Bibi is a Pakistani Christian
and mother of five. She helped feed and support her family by working in
fields picking berries, working alongside Muslim women in Punjab
province. Asia’s was one of three Christian families in a town of 1,500
Muslim families. As many readers can imagine, the Christians lived, and
continue to live, with constant abuse, harassment, and threats.
One day while working in the field,
Asia became thirsty. She walked to a well and drank some water from a
small metal cup set nearby. A Muslim women saw her do this and spread the
word among the other Muslims in the field. As a kafir, Asia was not
allowed to drink from the same place as Muslims drink using the same cup they
use. As a kafir, she was considered filth, and the cup was now tainted.
The Muslim women in the field surrounded
Asia, verbally abused her, and insisted she convert to Islam immediately.
Asia said, as she had said so many times before: “Jesus Christ is my Lord and
Savior. He died on the cross for me.” The Muslim women became
enraged. That evening, a mob of Muslims converged on Asia’s house, where
they beat her and her family.
Eventually the police arrived and
put her in prison to protect her from the mob. Shortly thereafter, the
police arrested her after discovering that she had committed blasphemy.
Because Pakistani courts follow sharia law, a non-Muslim’s testimony carries
half the weight as that of a Muslim. As a result, Asia couldn’t
adequately defend herself. (The crime of blasphemy is so grave that
reporters refused to repeat her testimony for fear they would be accused of
blasphemy.) (Who is Asia Bibi, and why should we care?
By Carol
Brown; American Thinker; 11/3/15)
Below is as an update about Asia Bibi’s continued
persecution by Dan Wooding of Assist News
Service.
*******************
FRESH CALL FOR
RELEASE OF ASIA BIBI
By Dan
Wooding
May 16, 2017 22:35
AUSTRALIA (ANS – May 16, 2016) -- The Primate of
Australia, Archbishop
Last month, members of the Anglican Consultative Council,
meeting in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, called for a fresh investigation into
her case, leading to her “honorable acquittal.” Asia Bibi was sentenced to
death for blasphemy in 2010, after being accused of insulting the Muslim
prophet Mohammed after she took a sip from a drinking vessel before handing it
to her Islamic colleagues.
“It is clear that a disgraceful application of Pakistan’s
blasphemy law, 295c, has brought tragedy and shame upon [Asia Bibi] and indeed
the beautiful nation of Pakistan,” Archbishop Freier later wrote on his blog,
in an article republished by ACNS (http://www.anglicannews.org/comment/2016/05/free-asia-bibi.aspx).
In his letter to Australia’s Foreign Minister, he asks Ms.
Bishop to pursue justice and mercy for Asia Bibi and for the protection of the
Christian minority in Pakistan. In his letter to the High Commissioner for
Pakistan to Australia, he asked that Pakistan re-open Asia Bibi’s case and
acquit her, and also work to protect Christians in Pakistan, who go constantly
in fear of their lives and property.
“I wrote to Ms. Chohan that Pakistan and Australia share
interests and values, including the priority of justice with mercy,” Archbishop
Freier said. “The treatment of Asia Bibi fails this fundamental test of our
shared humanity, and her continued imprisonment brings shame.”
What caused the blasphemy charge against Pakistani Christian
wife and mother, Asia Bibi?
Asia was raised in Ittan Wali, a small, rural village in the
Sheikhupura District of Punjab, thirty miles outside of Lahore, and one day in
2009, she was picking berries in the sweltering heat, in a field with a group
of Muslim women, who worked on the farm of Muslim landowner, Muhammad Idrees.
Her family was one of only three Christian families in the village of more than
1,500 families
During this time, she was asked by some of the other women,
to get some water for them from a well. On the long and dusty walk back, she
took a sip of water from the vessel, and when the Muslim women discovered this
they became extremely angry, and in an exchange, she told them: “Our Christ
sacrificed His life on the cross for our sins.... Our Christ is alive.”
After uttering these words that she used to defend her faith
against the mocking co-workers who tried to make her convert to Islam, she
could never have dreamed the shocking consequences that would follow.
The Muslim women began to beat Asia. Then some men took her
and locked her in a room. They announced from mosque loudspeakers that she
would be punished by having her face blackened and being paraded through the
village on a donkey.
“Local Christians informed the police, who took Asia into
protective custody before the Muslims could carry out their plan. Christians
urged the police not to file blasphemy charges, but the police claimed they had
to go forward because of pressure from local Muslim leaders,” explained a Voice
of the Martyrs spokesperson.
“Upon hearing this response, the Muslim women became angry
and began to beat Asia. Then some men took her and locked her in a room. They
announced from mosque loudspeakers that she would be punished by having her
face blackened and being paraded through the village on a donkey.
“Local Christians informed the police, who took Asia into
protective custody before the Muslims could carry out their plan. Christians
urged the police not to file blasphemy charges, but the police claimed they had
to go forward because of pressure from local Muslim leaders.”
After a lengthy trial, on Nov. 8, 2010, Asia Bibi was
sentenced to death by a judge. The judge also fined Asia $1,190 (U.S.) and told
her she had seven days to appeal the decision. Her attorneys filed the appeal
promptly, and now wait for the Lahore High Court to rule. If the appeal is
rejected, Asia would be the first woman to be lawfully executed under
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. She remains in prison, waiting to hear the high
court’s ruling.
But that wasn’t all. There were two shocking events related
to her case:
* On Jan. 4, 2011, the governor of Punjab province, where Asia
lives, was assassinated by a member of his security team. Though a Muslim,
Salmaan
* On March 2, 2011, Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Christian
member of Pakistan’s cabinet and another person who had spoken out on behalf of
Asia Bibi, was also assassinated for his support of her.
The Voice of the Martyrs has supported Asia Bibi and her
family since the time of her arrest. In July, 2011, VOM launched www.CallForMercy.com in
an effort to gather 1,000,000 signatures from around the world asking for
Asia’s release.
In Pakistan, more than 150,000 Christians have also signed a
petition demanding justice for persecution victims, including Asia Bibi. Now
you can join with The Voice of the Martyrs and its Pakistani brothers and
sisters in a call for mercy.
“Invite your friends to visit www.CallForMercy.com and
add their names to the petition as well. VOM will deliver the petition, along
with the list of signers, to the Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC,” added the
VOM spokesperson.
Photo captions: 1) Asia Bibi. 2) Archbishop Philip Freier.
3) Salmaan Taseer with Asia Bibi at the prison where she was fingerprinted.
Many believe that this visit lead to his murder. 4) Dan Wooding recording his
radio show.
________________________
About the writer: Dan Wooding, 75, is an award-winning
winning author, broadcaster and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British
missionary
*** You may republish this or any of our ANS stories with
attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net).
About ASSIST and Dan Wooding
Dan Wooding has been my friend for over 20 years, and I
hold him in the highest esteem. I love his stories, his courage, and his
conviction.
Dan and his wonderful wife Norma have been faithful to
God and the call to share the stories of Christians working around the world
for decades. They have been through difficult times, and have always found a
way to get the work done.
Dan tells his own story of being a British journalist
gone a bit wild after growing up on the mission field with his parents. Then
Dan was convicted to tell the stories of Christians being killed and persecuted
in countries where their faith left them vulnerable to abuse and worse. Dan has
been in many dangerous situations in order to get the story out to the rest of
the world.
…
The ASSIST news site gives you access to stories that are
of interest to Christians worldwide, some of them would never be told without
Dan Wooding's help.
Dan interviews people whether famous or intriguing every
day. He writes their stories, shares them on international radio shows,
and videos as well.
If you have a heart for missions and helping Christians
around the world, get to know Dan Wooding and his work at ASSIST Ministries
today. READ ENTIRETY
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