Where are the international human rights groups? They are mentioned in this piece vaguely and in passing; why aren’t they mounting an international campaign against this injustice?
From the BBC, with thanks to all those who sent this to me:
A court in Lahore found Mehdi Hassan, 36, guilty under Pakistani laws covering offences against Islam, the prophet Mohammed or the Koran.
The defendant had denied the charge, which can carry the death penalty, saying the case had arisen from a property dispute….
He was accused of burning a copy of the Koran in his yard.
Rights groups have criticised Pakistan’s blasphemy laws as draconian, with the burden of proof too easy for the prosecution.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has in the past called for changes in procedures so investigators can test the validity of blasphemy accusations before cases reach the courts.
Analysts say judges are often too scared of the reaction from powerful local Islamic leaders to throw out cases.