Here are 16 tweets by Reema Omar who is ICJ’s International Legal Advisor for South Asia that tell the blasphemy ordeal in Pakistan as it is. Editor
One year ago, @ICJ_org published a detailed study on fair trial violations in #blasphemy cases in #Pakistan https://t.co/1WaPO5jCBC
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
1. ICJ found Most #blasphemy offences in Pakistan, incl. 295-C, are non-bailable. Police may also arrest accused without a judicial warrant
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
2. Nearly 90% #blasphemy convictions are overturned on appeal, mostly because they’re made maliciously or for “political motives”
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
3. Courts have on multiple occasions held that Sunni Tehreek + other groups use the blasphemy law for their vested interests
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
4. @ICJ_org‘s study found demonstrable bias in judges against defendants in #blasphemy cases, esp. in trial courts
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
5. Despite Shariat Court’s ruling that 295-C an “intentional wrong”, judges continue to convict without evidence that blasphemy was intended
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
6. Pakistan’s SC last year held #blasphemy accused “suffer beyond proportion or repair”. Yet, there’s been no change in the law or practice
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
7. SC, Senate’s HR committee, Gojra commission, and a number of others have called for amendments to blasphemy law. What prevents action?
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
8. PK claims its fighting a war against extremism -how can we justify leaving hundreds of people accused of #blasphemy at the mercy of mobs?
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
9. Reminder: At least 53 people have been killed in #blasphemy related violence since the 1980s. Many others have been forced to relocate
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
10. Judges often decide #blasphemy cases on “faith of court” instead of law, making a mockery of right to be tried by an “impartial judge”
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
11. Example: Judge to #blasphemy accused, a Christian:
If you really respect the Prophet Muhammad so much, why didnt you convert to Islam?
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
12. In another, the SC asked: “can anyone blame a Muslim if he loses control on reading blasphemous material…by Mirza sb?”
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
13. State cannot keep turning a blind eye to these injustices. Much of these atrocities are preventable -just need political+judicial will
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
14. A list of #blasphemy offences in #Pakistan. The framing of the offence, the penalties, the potential for abuse too blatant to be missed pic.twitter.com/zfwWyKkHwU
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
15. People accused of #blasphemy often kept in solitary confinement, sometimes for years. This is what it means to live through it: pic.twitter.com/JTYdnADFn0
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016
16. This is what Jinnah thought of #blasphemy. How do we square this with 295-C -both its overbroad framing and oppressive implementation? pic.twitter.com/TLODlJNUkZ
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 5, 2016