The UN body urged Pakistani authorities to guarantee fair trials to everyone charged with blasphemy violations. A member of the committee stated that the panel was “also concerned about reports of abuse of women prisoners, including sexual violence, and that individuals accused of blasphemy are often placed in solitary confinement for extended periods of time. It remains concerned about the widespread recourse to prolonged pretrial detention”. 

They suggested amending the laws in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. They also suggested ending cybercrime laws, such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 – which requests the arrest and prosecution of everyone accused of violating blasphemy laws online. They urged the Pakistani government to investigate indictments of massive abuse of blasphemy laws and release the findings to the public. 

According to the committee: “It is concerned about the chilling effect that criminal defamation laws, blasphemy, sedition and counter-terrorism laws, and other recently passed legislation have on the exercise of freedom of expression by journalists, activists, human rights defenders and members of ethnic and religious minorities. It is also concerned about the increasing number of persons incarcerated under blasphemy charges, the high number of blasphemy cases based on false accusations, violence against those accused of blasphemy, fostering vigilante justice, and allegations of entrapment of persons, in particular young persons, on accusations of on-line blasphemy under cybercrime laws.”

They stressed the importance of acting against mob violence in relation to religious minorities, destruction of church properties and anti-Christian assaults. They also called for properly punishing everyone who falsely accuse others of blasphemy.

The panel stated: “The Human Rights Committee is deeply concerned about reports of the increase of discrimination, hate speech and crimes, mob violence, harassment, and intimidation against religious minorities, in particular Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus, Shias and Sikhs, as well as the destruction of their places of worship and cemeteries, as was the case in Jaranwala in August 2023. In particular, Pakistan should take all the measures necessary to prevent violent attacks against persons accused of blasphemy, in particular those under police custody or in detention, and investigate these attacks, including mob lynching and killings, ensuring that all perpetrators are prosecuted, convicted and appropriately sanctioned.”

The committee called for instant action to protect vulnerable girls and women, who are often forcefully married and converted to Islam. They said the Pakistani government “must raise the minimum age of marriage for both boys and girls to 18 years throughout the country without exceptions. The committee is concerned about reports of the persistent practice of abducting girls who belong to religious minorities and forcing them to marry – regardless of their age and the prevailing law – and convert to Islam under the threat of violence, which results in rape, trafficking and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence against these girls. Victims are usually not returned to their families during investigations but forced to stay with their abductors, including members of organized criminal groups, or placed in unnecessary and inappropriate alternative care facilities, with no or limited regard for child protection standards, exposing victims to further risk of exploitation, abuse and harmful practices.”

Source: https://www.christiantoday.com