From LifeSite News:
A 40-year-old Pakistani Christian mother of four, Shagufta Kiran, has been sentenced to death for allegedly committing blasphemy by sharing a WhatsApp message deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad. Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka handed down the sentence in September 2024, alongside a fine of 300,000 rupees ($1,077 USD), after a trial spanning three years. Kiran’s attorneys plan to appeal the verdict.
The accusations originated from a Muslim member of a WhatsApp group, who claimed the forwarded message contained derogatory remarks. Kiran’s lawyer stated she neither wrote the message nor read it before sharing it. Her husband highlighted that the message had been widely circulated prior to his wife’s involvement, raising concerns about selective targeting.
The case has forced Kiran’s family into hiding due to threats against them. At the time of her arrest, her children ranged from 10 to 18 years old. Kiran is currently held in solitary confinement in Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi, where she finds solace in her faith by reading the Bible and praying.
Blasphemy laws in Pakistan, often criticized for being misused to settle personal scores, impose severe penalties, including death. Reports indicate that accusations can lead to vigilante violence, often without repercussions for false claims. A 2023 report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) noted that over 2,000 people have faced blasphemy charges in Pakistan since 1987, with 40 currently on death row.
This case highlights ongoing issues of religious persecution in Pakistan, particularly targeting minorities under blasphemy laws, which remain a contentious subject in the global human rights discourse.
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