Pakistani police have detained and imprisoned a Christian teenager for allegedly burning pages of the Quran, according to Al Jazeera.
The 18-year-old could potentially face the death penalty under the country’s strict blasphemy laws.
Asif Massih was reportedly charged under section 295-B of Pakistan’s penal code, referring to a part of the country’s constitution that makes the death sentence or life imprisonment mandatory for anyone who damages or desecrates the Quran.
Police officials intervened as an angry mob attacked Massih in Wazirabad’s Jamkay Chattha village in Punjab province before he was arrested.
Local police official Pervaiz Iqbal told AFP news agency: “When the police took the suspect into custody and brought him to a police check-post, a crowd of around 200 men gathered outside … demanding the culprit be handed over to them.”
VOA reports that Massih’s father, Steven Massih, has denied the accusation and said that the allegation was the result of a “business rivalry” between his son and Nawaz, both of whom collected wastepaper and empty bottles.
“We have observed that during court proceeding, in several cases, such allegations proven false,” Nadeem Anthoni, a member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) told VOA. “No doubt that most of blasphemy cases were registered against Muslims but when it comes to Christians, the consequences for the community are far reaching.”
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has told press that there are 40 people on death row or serving life sentences for blasphemy in Pakistan.
USCIRF ranked Pakistan among the top five countries with the strictest blashpemy laws in the world in a report last week, but warned that such laws are often used to target religious minorities.
“Advocates for blasphemy laws may argue that they are needed in order to protect religious freedom, but these laws do no such thing. Blasphemy laws are wrong in principle, and they often invite abuse and lead to assaults, murders, and mob attacks. Wherever they exist, they should be repealed,” USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark wrote.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
