WCC hearing urges Pakistan to end blasphemy law abuses
(September 22, 2012) An international hearing sponsored by the World Council of
Churches (WCC) has called on Pakistan to end abuse of the nation's blasphemy law,
which leads to major human rights violations for religious minorities. At the Sept.
17-19 hearing in Geneva, Switzerland, speakers from a variety of faith backgrounds
examined the blasphemy law of Pakistan’s Penal Code. That law, as amended in the
1980s, has been criticized for its vague wording and arbitrary enforcement, leading
to mob violence as well as the death penalty for those found guilty of defaming the
prophet Muhammad or the Quran. Among the speakers were Mohammad Tahseen, human rights
activist and director of the South Asia Partnership in Pakistan, and Bishop Samuel
Azariah, moderator of the Church of Pakistan. A communiqué issued by the group on
Sept. 19 called on the Pakistani government to “constitute a competent Inquiry Commission
immediately to look into the tragic consequences of the blasphemy law and suggest
a way out of this difficult and embarrassing situation.” “Tinkering with procedural
amendments” has failed to solve the problems surrounding “a law that is inherently
susceptible to abuse,” it said. Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World
Council of Churches, said, “it is high time that the international community should
address this issue with urgency.” “Reports from Pakistan reveal the fact that repression,
intolerance, and fear have become the order of the day in many parts of the country,”
he observed, warning that the misuse of the law is “used to target different minority
communities” in the country. The public hearing coincided with the 21st Session of
the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and included a side event at that
gathering. Speakers emphasized the importance of free speech and the critical role
of religious leaders in preventing abuse of the laws. “When the state and constitution
make preference on the basis of religion, they end up violating the rights of their
citizens,” said Peter Jacob, executive director of the National Commission for Justice
and Peace of Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference. “The discrimination we find in
the constitution and state policies translates into extremism and general intolerance
in the society,” he explained. Pakistan’s blasphemy law made headlines in August
when a young Christian girl, Rimsha Masih, with Down Syndrome was arrested for allegedly
burning pages from the Quran. Faced with international attention, the girl was released
on bail, but had to be taken to a secret location amid fears for her safety.