-
Blogroll
Hermitage
-
Brother André Marie’s Theology Weblog
Free Catholic Books and Gifts!
Automated ads not within blogger's control. Report inappropriate ads.
May
4
Christian Group Wary of Pakistani Promises
May 4, 2008 |
Questions Why Nation Signed Covenant on Rights
By Will TaylorIn a long-awaited step, Pakistan has signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but a Christian solidarity group is wondering if there will be any real, positive consequences.
The country’s Foreign Office says its April 17 signing of the ICCPR reflects the renewed commitment of the democratic government to promote human rights in Pakistan, and to protect its people from inhuman and degrading treatment in accordance with internationally recognized legal standards.
It also says the government has clearly demonstrated its resolve to strengthen democracy and to establish a just society.
The nongovernmental organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide is not convinced, however. It says the country’s blasphemy laws that were introduced nearly 30 years ago by dictator Zia ul-Haq are in direct violation of the ICCPR, in particular the provisions for freedom of religion and of expression in Articles 18 and 19.
In an interview with Vatican Radio, CSW National Director Stuart Windsor said that “under Pakistan penal code 295C — which deals with blasphemy against the prophet Mohammed — some 892 people have been punished over the last 22 years, many of them Muslims as well as Christians, and 22 to 25 have been killed arbitrarily.”
He added, “The state has actually executed none, but once a person faces a blasphemy charge then their life is over in terms of what they face if they’re released from prison and released from the charges.”
Blasphemy prisoners, even if acquitted, are often targeted by extremists and forced into hiding.
Windsor noted: “It’ll be interesting to see why Pakistan has signed the ICCPR now; it may be because of the new government and new MPs and new minorities in Parliament.
“They may decide they need to really look at it now that they’ve signed this convention, but we also have to face the reality that in the world many governments sign the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and also the ICCPR — they put their signatures to these conventions but in fact, in reality, in practice, don’t obey them.”
A CSW news release argued that the blasphemy laws fail to provide an adequate definition of the offense, require no evidence other than the accusation of one person, and are regularly misused by extremists to target religious minorities and to settle personal scores. The organization also claimed that nearly all blasphemy charges are completely fabricated.
CSW is now urging the government of Pakistan to repeal the blasphemy laws and to also defend and implement the right to religious freedom in the country.
To this end, Windsor remarked, “We face a long-term process on this issue and its not going to happen overnight; it’s going to demand a lot of international pressure on the government and on the president, and also dialogue with the extremists.”
Windsor added, “It’s really a mountain that we face — it took us eight years of hard work and lobbying and pressure to get Pakistan to change their election system so that Muslims could vote for Christians and Christians could vote for Muslims, so this is going to be a long haul. But we want to pray and we want governments in the West and democratic governments around the world to put pressure on Pakistan to repeal these laws because both Muslims and Christians are suffering under them.”
In 1982, the desecration of the Koran was made a specific offense, and in 1986, blasphemy was made punishable by death or life imprisonment.
Courtesy Zenit.org
