A small band of Pakistani Christians and supporters protest against the use of blasphemy laws in Pakistan as an excuse for the persecution of minorities A Catholic leader has called for an end to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, telling EWTN last week that the accused in such cases are “guilty before even [having] an opportunity to prove themselves”.
A court in Punjab recently sentenced Ehsan Shan to death for sharing “hateful content” against Muslims on social media.
Last year, when locals said that two Christian men desecrated the Quran, groups of Muslim men burned dozens of homes and churches in Jaranwala in the region of Punjab in one of the worst mob attacks against Christians in the country.
Ed Clancy, the director of outreach at the charity group Aid to the Church in Need, told ‘EWTN News Nightly’ anchor Tracy Sabol that after the attacks, Mr Shan “posted some of the content of what was available on social media” regarding the allegations, including allegedly an image of a defaced Quran.
“Because he posted derogatory material that was alleged to be part of this uprising or the attacks on Christians last year – where 20 some odd buildings were burned and hundreds of people and families had to flee their homes because of it – all he did was post something about this and therefore was considered causing violence [and] was convicted of blasphemy,” Mr Clancy told Ms Sabol.