Pakistan court hands down death sentence to scholar accused of blasphemy

 

Security was tightened around the jail where Junaid Hafeez, not pictured, was being sentenced

 

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Saturday sentenced a liberal scholar and former university lecturer to death on blasphemy charges.

 

In 2013, Junaid Hafeez was accused by students at the university where he taught of making blasphemous Facebook posts. Insulting Islam's Prophet Mohammad carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan, which is about 95% Muslim.

 

His lawyers say he was framed by students from an extremist Islamist party for his liberal and secular views and this month a U.S. religious freedom commission placed Hafeez on its list of global victims.

 

"He (Junaid Hafeez) shall be hanged by neck till his death subject to its confirmation by the honourable high court," a court order stated.

 

His defence lawyer Asad Jamal said he would appeal against the ruling in a higher court.

 

"There can't be a fair trial in blasphemy cases in Pakistan," Jamal told Reuters. "We have a spineless system. No one can stand up to a blasphemy charge."

 

Hafeez, who quit his studies at Pakistan's top medical college to pursue a passion for art and literature, secured a Fulbright scholarship and attended Jackson State University where he majored in American literature, photography and theatre.

 

The trial was held in a prison in the central Pakistan city of Multan under tight security due to threats to Hafeez's family and his lawyer.

 

(Reporting by Asif Shazhad in Islamabad, Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore; Writing by Rupam Jain; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-22

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I think blasphemy should be regarded the same way as witch burning, something that belongs in the far distant past. The problem is that this country has nuclear weapons, worrying isn’t it........

Was the court house in the town of Bedrock cos it sure sounds like it????

1 hour ago, PJPom said:

I think blasphemy should be regarded the same way as witch burning, something that belongs in the far distant past. The problem is that this country has nuclear weapons, worrying isn’t it........

Problem is: much of that country lives in a far distant past. It'll take them (and a few other muslim countries) another 500 years to (maybe, hopefully) get it together that their invisible friend is a character in an old fairytale, once meant to teach people what's "right and wrong", in the context of "back when"...

The muslim calendar year is 1441 - and that is exactly where these backward brainwashed morons are living in.

1 hour ago, AsiaCheese said:

Problem is: much of that country lives in a far distant past. It'll take them (and a few other muslim countries) another 500 years to (maybe, hopefully) get it together that their invisible friend is a character in an old fairytale, once meant to teach people what's "right and wrong", in the context of "back when"...

Mohammed was a real person.

3 hours ago, PJPom said:

I think blasphemy should be regarded the same way as witch burning, something that belongs in the far distant past. The problem is that this country has nuclear weapons, worrying isn’t it........

 

Totally agree. A mindset fixed in the Middle Ages, mass low education but high levels of "religious schools" indoctrinating children.

 

Pakistan has nuclear weapons, modern military, was trying to buy new fighter planes from China, but little law and order in most parts of the country.

 

The UK still gives very generous foreign aid to Pakistan.

 

Very worrying indeed.

9 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Mohammed was a real person.

 

Prove it.

35 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

The muslim calendar year is 1441 - and that is exactly where these backward brainwashed morons are living in.

 

Not all Muslims, to be fair. Only in the backward lawless ones where religious zealots hold sway.

34 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Mohammed was a real person.

. . . who ascended to heaven on a flying horse.

48 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Prove it.

Do your own research. General consensus of historians say he was a real person. Same as jesus was.

 

Things said that he did or did not do may be questionable but he was a person.

 

Now prove you are.

25 minutes ago, oobar said:

. . . who ascended to heaven on a flying horse.

Did he say that?

Getting the death penalty for speaking words - Amazing times we live in. What a F@@@ up world we live in when a person can be executed for words and other mass murderers get a prison sentence.

13 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Do your own research. General consensus of historians say he was a real person. Same as jesus was.

The latest view - see historian Tom Holland for example - is that there may have been someone but almost everything we "know" is almost certainly made up well after the event. Take the name "Mohammed" for example. It's only mentioned 4 times in the Koran and each time it's a title. It means "the Blessed One" and refers to Jesus. Islam is an outcrop of the Christian Nestorian heresy which was anti-Trinitarian and believed that Jesus was a prophet not God. The Nestorian slogan was "There is only one God, not three". This evolved into "There is one God and the Blessed One is his prophet". The Koran is a collection of writings that probably originated as a set of devotional hymns and meditations developed in the Nestorian church and written down in Aramaic.  It certainly wasn't originally written in Arabia, nor in Arabic. That came later, as a translation. When Islam became the established religion of the Arabs, about 50+ years later, a conscious decision was made to locate the historical events somewhere so obscure that no one would bother to challenge their historicity. None of the early mosques faced Mecca. That came later, when Mecca was established as the official "home" of Islam

Edited December 22, 20196 yr by ThaiBunny

Some off topic posts have been removed. 

1 hour ago, ThaiBunny said:

The latest view - see historian Tom Holland for example - is that there may have been someone but almost everything we "know" is almost certainly made up well after the event. Take the name "Mohammed" for example. It's only mentioned 4 times in the Koran and each time it's a title. It means "the Blessed One" and refers to Jesus. Islam is an outcrop of the Christian Nestorian heresy which was anti-Trinitarian and believed that Jesus was a prophet not God. The Nestorian slogan was "There is only one God, not three". This evolved into "There is one God and the Blessed One is his prophet". The Koran is a collection of writings that probably originated as a set of devotional hymns and meditations developed in the Nestorian church and written down in Aramaic.  It certainly wasn't originally written in Arabia, nor in Arabic. That came later, as a translation. When Islam became the established religion of the Arabs, about 50+ years later, a conscious decision was made to locate the historical events somewhere so obscure that no one would bother to challenge their historicity. None of the early mosques faced Mecca. That came later, when Mecca was established as the official "home" of Islam

Never heard of Nestorians, so looked them up. A few links below if anyone is interested... 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorianism

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad's_views_on_Christians

Yes, they are way behind and yes, death penalty should imo not happen, let alone for something like this.

 

But blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan, and I have seen no posts denying the charge. So what did he say in his Facebook posts?

Amazingly, the law only requires 3 persons to accuse one of blasphemy, that's it, your goose is cooked.

A country which has gone from 25% minority population at independence in 1947 to maybe around 2% now. Forcible conversions through kidnapping and rape of young Christian and Hindu girls are common. 

Prove it.

4 hours ago, Sujo said:

Mohammed was a real person.

yes, and "took" Aisa when she was 9 years old.

For the rest: so much blood on his hands, all holy water cannot wash that down.

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

Do your own research. General consensus of historians say he was a real person. Same as Jesus was.

see  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus_on_Jesus  

The Roman politicians Pliny and Tacitus were later in time, and only could repeat what others had said/written down 

And people question India's latest moves to limit Muslim influence. A word of advice to India: Beware letting in any right wing Christians from America. They can be even worse.

What for ME is blasphemy is the fact the Almighty needs us mortals, to fulful His will, and punish for Him. In fact with that acknowledging, He is NOT Almighty, but.. nothing.

All mono-theoligical nations had a second in common: total intolerance to any others-thinking. From Echnaton via the Jews, Christianity till Muslims. With all the same punishment: death. Or in other words: how to keep in control.

Edited December 22, 20196 yr by puipuitom

1 hour ago, captpkapoor said:

Amazingly, the law only requires 3 persons to accuse one of blasphemy, that's it, your goose is cooked.

A country which has gone from 25% minority population at independence in 1947 to maybe around 2% now. Forcible conversions through kidnapping and rape of young Christian and Hindu girls are common. 

"3 persons to accuse one of blasphemy".. very easy to find on social medias , the "sources" could come from who knows where..

 

 

Barbaric, inhumane cave dwellers.

It's the reason India has recently brought in a citizenship amendment bill, under which Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs etc from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh - the three Muslim theocratic states near it - will be granted accelerated citizenship in India. 

1 hour ago, captpkapoor said:

Amazingly, the law only requires 3 persons to accuse one of blasphemy, that's it, your goose is cooked.

A country which has gone from 25% minority population at independence in 1947 to maybe around 2% now. Forcible conversions through kidnapping and rape of young Christian and Hindu girls are common. 

see 

https://www.livemint.com/Politics/F4r3Tmf51k8Sm6DGjPRaEN/Slow-genocide-of-minorities-in-Pakistan-Farahnaz-Ispahani.html

http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/head-line-news-details/3707?hnewsid=3707  Fear among Pakistani Christians after Rimsha arrest under blasphem 

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Asia_Bibi_blasphemy_case

, 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/12/18/two-christian-brothers-sentenced-death-web-blasphemy-pakistan/  

https://barnabasfund.org/en/news/mentally-disabled-christian-man-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan  

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1974313/1-kot-radha-krishan-lhc-acquits-two-convicts-christian-couples-lynching-case/

https://herald.dawn.com/news/1153487 Why people get killed over blasphemy in Pakistan

https://www.refworld.org/docid/46ee67a155.html

 

 

5 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Not all Muslims, to be fair. Only in the backward lawless ones where religious zealots hold sway.

It is sad to say your statement is false. To be a Muslim you must follow the Koran to the letter and if you do not the you are marked for death by all practicing Muslims. You should and should all our politicians be made to study history. Dark ages caused by Muslim piracy and jihad with the burning of all the ancient libraries along their path. The mass murder of over 180 million should be remembered which brings me to my point Spain who had major problems with jihad wars kidnapping/slaving until King Philip of Spain decreed no Muslim practice on Spanish soil. Problem solved and my point out of hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Spain only 30,000 remained. 

10 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Insulting Islam's Prophet Mohammad carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan, which is about 95% Muslim.

I guess 99% of us wont be visiting the MAD islamic state of Pakistan in a hurry

40 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

It is sad to say your statement is false. To be a Muslim you must follow the Koran to the letter and if you do not the you are marked for death by all practicing Muslims. You should and should all our politicians be made to study history. Dark ages caused by Muslim piracy and jihad with the burning of all the ancient libraries along their path. The mass murder of over 180 million should be remembered which brings me to my point Spain who had major problems with jihad wars kidnapping/slaving until King Philip of Spain decreed no Muslim practice on Spanish soil. Problem solved and my point out of hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Spain only 30,000 remained. 

Absolute rubbish. I live in malaysia and go drinking quite often with muslims. 

 

You are not marked for death by anyone. 

 

Jeez some people.