Lahore, Pakistan, 18 March 2014: Pakistan’s Asia Bibi's appeal hearing has been postponed
"to a later date". The Christian woman was sentenced to death without evidence on
the basis of the 'blasphemy law'.
Set for Monday, the first hearing was cancelled
due to the absence of one of the two presiding judges. Under Pakistani law, two judges
have to be present in death penalty cases for the entire trial.
The appeal
process against Asia Bibi's conviction was announced on Friday, the Centre for Legal
Aid, Assistance and Settlement told AsiaNews.
A mother of five, Asia Bibi was
arrested in 2009 on charges of insulting Muhammad. In 2010, she was sentenced to death
under the country's 'black law''. Since then, she has been waiting for her appeal
to be heard, held in isolation at the women's prison in Sheikhupura (Punjab).
The
High Court in Lahore, where the appeal is being heard, will have to decide whether
the Christian woman committed a crime, namely drank a glass of water from a well owned
by a Muslim.
As a result of this act, she was accused "of contaminating" the
well, which was followed by a row with fellow workers and eventually the indictment
for "insulting Muhammad." Source: AsiaNews