Ranjha Masih should be released from jail "within two or three more days." According to the article, he may or may not have been informed yet of how imminent his release is. "Pakistan - Christian Acquitted on 'Blasphemy' Charges," from Compass Direct:
November 10 (Compass Direct News) – After eight and a half years in jail on unsubstantiated blasphemy charges, Pakistani Christian Ranjha Masih was acquitted today by the Lahore High Court.
At the end of a two-hour appeal hearing on the case, Presiding Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khausa ruled that the lack of any solid evidence against Masih required him to issue a complete acquittal.
Lawyer Justin Gill, who led Masih’s defense team, said he expected a prison release order for the former hospital worker to be issued tomorrow. “So within two or three more days, he should be out of jail,” Gill said. “I think he doesn’t even know this yet himself, but we have told his wife.”
According to a spokesperson from the Lahore-based Center for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), which handled Masih’s legal appeal process, Masih will be transferred to a secure, undisclosed location after his release.
Those are handy.
Arrested in May 1998 during a funeral procession for former Catholic Bishop of Faisalabad John Joseph, Masih had been convicted and sentenced to life in prison by a district court in April 2003.
The 50-year-old Masih had been accused of throwing stones and knocking down a signboard that displayed a verse from the Quran during the funeral demonstrations. He was a close friend of the bishop, who had committed suicide to protest the targeting of Christians under Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws.
A similar case was recently discussed at Jihad Watch under the heading of "What not to do."
“The conclusion of Judge Khausa was that there was not enough evidence to maintain the conviction,” Gill told Compass. “And there were so many discrepancies between the eyewitnesses.”
In his appeals argument before the court today, Gill said he had stressed the flat contradictions between the claims of prosecution witnesses and the testimony of the police officer who investigated the evidence a few hours after his client was arrested.
“All the eyewitnesses for the prosecution claimed that the signboard on which the [Quranic verses] were written had broken into two pieces and fallen down,” Gill said. “But the inspecting officer who conducted the investigation said in his written statement that the signboards at the scene were all intact after the incident. None of them were damaged.”
In fact, Gill told the court, it was not until 20 days later that Masih’s accusers produced the damaged signboard, claiming that he had thrown stones and a shoe at it.
This documented time lapse appeared to be a telling factor in the judge’s acquittal verdict, one courtroom observer told Compass.
This same discrepancy had been established clearly before the district court by Masih’s initial defense lawyer, Khalil Tahir Sindhu, a CLAAS spokesman said. “So Ranjha should have been acquitted then,” he said.
But with the Faisalabad District and Sessions courtroom filled with Muslim activists and journalists, the district judge had ruled Masih guilty.
Although Masih’s alleged crime of desecrating the words of the Quran actually fell under Section 295-B of Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws, he was inexplicably charged under Section 295-C, for insulting the Muslim prophet Muhammad.
Even more strangely, the appeals court noted today, his conviction under Section 295-C required the death penalty. But instead, the district court sentenced him to life imprisonment.
[...]
Held blindfolded and in heavy chains during his first weeks of detention, Masih told his lawyers he was beaten and tortured repeatedly by police authorities before his transfer to the Faisalabad Central Jail.
Regardless of what the particular charge was the fact remains that Masih was doomed to prison because he was not a proper dhimmi and some excuse would have been found to jail him. Since he was falsely jailed for over 8 years what are the odds of him getting some sort of compensation? Or even an apology? Zilch, because Islam is "infallible" and would never jail someone falsely.
I guess Masih should count himself lucky that he wasn't killed or died in some horrible jail cell. Small comfort for what he had to endure.
Thank God he is being released. Sunday, November 12 is the National "Pray for the Persecuted Church" day. Please take a moment to pray for our brothers and sisters all over the globe that are in chains for the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.
I thank God that I live in a country that ha religious freedom.
In other release-of-Christians-by-Muslims-after-jail-and-torture news, the well-known Christian singer in Eritrea, Helen Berhane (there are many Christians in Eritrea, subject to persecution by the Muslim-run government) has been at long last released. She had been imprisoned for two years, and beaten while in prison so that now this young woman is in a wheelchair. The crime? Singing music with a Christian theme -- that is, gosepl music in Eritrean.
You can read more here:
Eritrean gospel singer 'released'
Helen Berhane was arrested after recording an album in 2004
An Eritrean Christian gospel singer, detained by the authorities without charge for more than two years, has been freed, Amnesty International says.
Helen Berhane was among about 2,000 members of illegal Evangelical church groups in Eritrea, who Amnesty says have been arrested in recent years.
She was reportedly imprisoned inside a metal shipping container and beaten in an effort to make her recant her faith.
But Eritrean Information Minister Ali Abdu denies all knowledge of her case.
More than 90% of Eritreans belong to one of four recognised religions - Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran Churches and Islam.
Ms Berhane, a well-known singer at the unregistered Rema Church, had just released a cassette of gospel music when she was arrested in the capital, Asmara, on 13 May 2004.
We understand that she's at her home, or her family home. Of course we've had no contact with her because that's extremely risky for somebody who's just released from prison
Martin Hill, Amnesty International
She was being held at Mai Serwa military camp where many prisoners, including Ms Berhane according to Amnesty, are held in metal shipping containers.
The containers are swelteringly hot during the day and freezing cold at night, with no washing or toilet facilities, Amnesty International says.
The human rights group's researcher for the Horn of Africa, Martin Hill, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that he was delighted Helen Berhane had been freed.
"She's not in good health but at least she's released and Amnesty International really welcomes the release, which is the culmination of a massive international campaign," he said.
'Contact risky'
Amnesty International says Ms Berhane is confined to a wheelchair because of her injuries to her legs and feet.
"We understand that she's at her home, or her family home. Of course we've had no contact with her because that's extremely risky for somebody who's just released from prison," Mr Hill added.
But the Eritrean information minister has denied any knowledge of Ms Berhane's case and her reported release, attacking Amnesty instead."
Shria Courts are a joke besides being tyrannical.
I understand there is some international conference coming up soon in Pakistan and they wanted him out of jail due to "political" reasons and/or pressures.
If they had wanted too, they could easily found him guilty.
Eight years is a pretty long time for throwing a rock at a sign with a satanic Quranic verse on it. Death penalty if guilty is "Islamically Speaking" A OK!
These sham courts pull crap all the time not only in Pakistan, parts of Nigeria, Indonesia, and elsewhere in the Islamic "World".
Like a Christian girl? But she turns you down?
Just tell the Sharia folks that she blasphemed the false "prophet" Mohammad and she and her family will get killed or jailed AND churches, businesses, and towns will go up in flames.
Did in Nigeria...
Shira Court could cut off her head. Look nice on the mantle piece!!!!
They are all lying devils. Demons. Children of Satan.
I would damn them to hell, but they are damned already.
A decade ago, a Pakistani airforce officer who had converted to Christianity was similarly released after spending months (not years) incarcerated. The court's ruling infuriated Muslim militants, and he was shot to death right outside the courthouse the day of his release.
Stay tuned....
OT;
Have you guys seen the Wall Street Journal's "Five Best" today? Dhimmi, dhimmi, dhimmi:
http://www.opinionjournal.com/weekend/fivebest/?id=110009231
Christians in Muslim lands are very brave people. They take their faith very seriously. I admire them for it. It is only under persecutions , that folks really appreciate their faith. In Western countries, people take their religious freedoms for granted.
The stronger the persecutions of Christians, the stronger their faith will be.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Many of us stand up every Sunday and say words. A rare few live the words. Ranjha Masih, you have my utmost respect.
Wow Naseem, what an efficient and just legal system you have. You must be so proud of your country.
Christian population on (continuing 1,400 year) decline in Holy Land
Ummah News Links
So, the case is dismissed more on the grounds that the damage could not be proven than on the grounds that "insult to islam" could be allowed.
SS,DD.
Geoff
If ever there is a reason why we must fight to prevent Sharia becoming the law of the land here in the West, this is it. If Britain starts becoming Islamified sometime in the next 30 years, I'll be ready to fight it, even though I'll be well into my seventies by then.
Greetings
ON VETERAN/REMBERANCE DAY
To all the brave service personnel who stood and yet stand between us and the terror of conflict.
Thank you all
Aaron / Bob
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remembrance Day
By
Robert B. Le Pine
Cpl. R.C.A.F. (Ret.)
In combats heat, soldiers meet
Contending with all their might
Explosions roar, bullets soar
Each side convinced they are right
A brave life shorn, a body torn
The dead have gone to rest
Beneath a marker, in a grave much darker
Than the sunshine they used to know
Now in peaceful lands, a host does stand
Around a monument to memory
Wreaths are laid, remembrance paid
For those who gave they’re all.
One day a year, we shed a tear
For our service kin who died
Because each day, as we work and play
We know it's due to their sacrifice
A piper plays, in salute rifles raised
Poppies in thankful profusion fill the land
A prayer is prayed, crowd a minute's silence gave
Then ‘Taps’ echo’s throughout the land
"Day is done, gone the sun ..."
So....what happens to him when he is released? Hopefully some idiot will not "strike at his neck."
Dear Spirit of 1683:
You said, "If Britain starts becoming Islamified sometime in the next 30 years, I'll be ready to fight it, even though I'll be well into my seventies by then.'
I too will be in my seventies, I guess instead of pee'ing on the Quran and using it as toilet paper under my own strength, I'll have to have my nurse help me do it.
My contribution to the war effort! :)
I am not aware of an appeal process prescribed by Mohammed. See, there is room for reform in Islam even though it may be classified as innovation. I guess I've been wrong all these years. Duh, silly me.
We can see twisted Islamic values creeping into our mindset without us even realizing it. All this extraneous speculation on whether he was guilty of knocking down a sign board with a Koranic verse on it... What a ridiculous "crime." We shouldn't even bother with a discussion of whether this "crime" was committed, but rather condemn such a nonliberal concept of punishment.