Jan. 3
JAPAN:
Death Penalty Movie Week to be held at Tokyo theater
The annual Death Penalty Movie Week will be held at a Tokyo theater in
February, with 8 films from home and abroad providing viewers with an
opportunity to think about the "right to life."
The event will take place as pro- and anti-death penalty groups have been
facing off at symposiums and on other occasions since the Japan Federation of
Bar Associations declared in October it would work for the abolition of capital
punishment by 2020.
The 8 films to be screened include 2005 German movie "Sophie Scholl -- The
Final Days," which depicts the anti-Nazi struggle of a student who was
executed, and "Freedom Moon," produced in Japan in 2016, that recounts the life
of death row inmate Iwao Hakamada.
Hakamada, convicted of a 1966 quadruple murder, was released in 2014 after a
court decided to reopen the case, but he still remains on death row as
prosecutors have appealed the ruling.
The film shows how his mental state has deteriorated due to decades-long
solitary confinement and the endless fear of execution.
South Korean popular movie "Miracle in Cell No. 7," produced in 2013, will also
be screened during the sixth event.
"Murder victims are deprived of their lives unjustifiably, but offenders are
also robbed of their 'right to live' under capital punishment," said Masakuni
Ota, one of the event organizers. "People seem to accept such circumstances
without question, at a time when exclusion and intolerance are prevalent around
the world."
During the event from Feb. 18 to 24 at the Eurospace movie theater in Tokyo's
Shibuya district, 4 movies will be shown each day, accompanied by sessions with
guest speakers.
The scheduled speakers include actress Kirin Kiki, who played the mother of a
death row inmate in a movie based on a true story, and pop singer Tsuyoshi
Ujiki, whose father was convicted of war crimes after World War II.
"We welcome both those seeking abolition of the death penalty and those who
support or accept capital punishment" so the issue is discussed from various
viewpoints, Ota said.
The previous 5 Death Penalty Movie Week events attracted a total of around
6,000 viewers.
In the 4 years since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe returned to power, 17 inmates
have been hanged, with a government survey showing over 80 % of people in Japan
support the death penalty.
On the other hand, Tokyo was urged by the U.N. Human Rights Committee in 2014
to "give due consideration to the abolition of the death penalty."
Currently, more than 2/3 of nations have abolished the death penalty by law or
in practice.
For further information on the screenings, call Eurospace at 03-3461-0211 or
check its website at http://www.eurospace.co.jp/
(source: The Mainichi)
NIGERIA:
LEDAP condemns execution of prisoners in Edo, seeks repeal of death penalty
Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) has condemned the killing on
December 23, 2016 of 3 death row prisoners in Benin City prison.
As a result, LEDAP has called on the Nigerian government to stop all death
penalty executions forthwith.
It urged the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to amend the
Criminal Code and Penal Code as well as the Robbery and Firearms (Special
Provisions) Act to remove death sentence as punishment for crimes and replace
it with life imprisonment or term of years sentence.
The prisoners were reportedly executed on account of death warrants signed by
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
Those executed were Ogbomoro Omoregie, Apostle Igene and Mark Omosowhota.
They were all convicted and sentenced to death nearly 20 years ago by military
tribunals under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Decree as
amended, LEDAP said.
According to a statement by the National Coordinator of LEDAP, Chino Obiagwu,
the executed prisoners had earlier petitioned the governor, protesting their
proposed execution.
"In an earlier petition submitted to the Governor by the executed prisoners on
December 21, 2016 through LEDAP, protesting the plan for their execution, the
prisoners had pleaded with the Governor to shelve the planned execution because
there is a pending case at the Court of Appeal brought by all death row
prisoners in Nigeria against their execution. This appeal has not been decided
and it was therefore, illegal to carry out the executions," he said.
LEDAP, he said, is appalled that the earliest social duty of Governor Obaseki
upon assumption of office was the execution of his citizen on death row. "We
reiterate that all prisoners, including those sentenced to death, retain all
the fundamental rights endowed on all citizens by the 1999 Constitution.
This was re-amphasized by the Court of Appeal in the case of Peter Nemi v
Attorney General of Lagos State in 1994.
"The Supreme Court of Nigeria also held in Nasir Bello v Attorney-General of
Oyo State that a prisoner cannot be legally executed while his case is pending
in court. In so far as an appeal against the sentences of the death row
prisoners in Nigeria are pending in court, to the knowledge of the prison
authorities and the government who participated in the high court proceedings
before the appeal, there is no legal justification for the Edo executions,
moreso when it was carried out cruelly on a day to the eve of Christmas."
The group frowned at the action based on the fact that Edo State government
carried out the execution despite the declaration by Nigerian government at its
2009 and 2014 Universal Periodic Reports (UPR) to the United Nations Human
Rights Council that Nigeria has put in place a moratorium on the use of the
death penalty.
Obiagwu said the December 23, 2016 execution of these 3 prisoners, as well as
the similar execution of 4 prisoners on June 21,2013 by the same Edo State
government have undermined Nigeria's declarations to the international
community for death penalty moratorium.
(source: The Guardian)
QATAR:
Qatar court confirms death penalty for 2 from TN
The highest court of Qatar on Monday upheld death penalties awarded to 2
labourers from Tamil Nadu and commuted the life sentence of a third to 15
years' imprisonment. The Court of Cassation's decision means that Alagappa
Subramanian and Chinnadurai Perumal - on death row - and Sivakumar Arasan have
exhausted their legal options. All 3 were convicted of the 2012 murder of a
woman who was a Qatari citizen.
"The court also rejected the prosecution's appeal to have the death penalty
awarded to Mr. Arasan. The only options left to these men is a clemency
petition to the Emir of Qatar. The Indian Embassy will have to do this," said
Nizar Kochery, a lawyer engaged by the Indian Embassy to represent the 3 men.
The case has gone through 3 tiers of the country's judiciary. The Indian
Embassy stepped in only after the 2nd tier in July 2016, ahead of the deadline
to file appeals papers after a Doha appeals court upheld a lower court's
December 31, 2014 sentences.
The case came to light after Suresh Kumar, a Nagercoil-based lawyer, travelled
to Qatar to meet the convicts. He had been informed of the case by C. Rajammal,
Mr. Perumal's wife. "I have informed Rajammal of today's verdict. I also
reached out to Sivakumar's family. Subramanian's family remains untraceable,"
he said.
Mr. Kumar said that Mr. Subramanian maintained that he was from Pudukkottai but
those living in the address he provided said they did not know him. Perumal
hailed from Virudhunagar district while Mr. Arasan was from Kallakurichi in
Villupuram. After Ms. Rajammal submitted a memorandum, the Tamil Nadu
government released Rs. 9.5 lakh for their legal expenses. "I have advised Ms.
Rajammal to try to meet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Perumal is a kidney
patient and received treatment within the jail," said Mr. Kumar.
"We have to always respect the local laws and work through the local
governments and authorities," said Dyaneshwar M. Mulay, Secretary (CPV & OIA),
Ministry of External Affairs, when asked about the case during a press
conference on Tuesday. The last Indian to be executed - by a firing squad - in
Qatar was Arun Abraham from Kerala, in March 2003.
(source: The HIndu)
PHILIPPINES:
'PH could go down as world's new top executioner' - Atienza
The wish of President Rodrigo Duterte to execute 5 to 6 convicts daily would
plunge the country into the dark ages of "savagery" and make the country a top
executioner, a pro-life solon said. In a statement, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza
said the President's wish to have 5 to 6 criminals put to death every day, or
more than 2,000 every year, under the death penalty would put the country into
"an unprecedented era of darkness and medieval savagery."
Atienza said daily executions would make the predominantly Catholic country the
world's top executioner, worse that non-Catholic countries such as China, Iran
and Pakistan.
"If the President had his way, our predominantly Catholic country could go down
as the world's new top executioner, ahead of non-Catholic countries such as
China, Iran and Pakistan," Atienza said.
Last month, Duterte said there would be daily executions of drug convicts once
death penalty is restored.
"Restore it and I will execute criminals every day - 5 or 6. That's for real,"
Duterte said.
Atienza said moves in Congress to restore death penalty are an "anathema to our
celebration of life."
"We Filipinos celebrate life. In fact, we celebrate life so much that despite
our usual troubles, we've been persistently rated among the happiest people in
the world," Atienza said.
Atienza said it is bad enough that even without the death penalty, the country
is hounded with a spate of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug criminals
at the height of the administration's bloody war on drugs.
"We do not want to be brutalized by constant bloodshed. We Filipinos loathe
killings, whether judicial or extrajudicial, as much as we detest violent
crime," Atienza said.
"It is bad enough we already have a virtual death penalty in place, with the
unabated summary executions of alleged suspects sans the benefit of a full and
fair trial," he added.
Atienza said the real problem is rampant corruption in the criminal justice
system, as revealed in a House inquiry on the Bilibid drug trade and the
millions of alleged kickbacks for Bureau of Correction officials.
"The real problem is clearly corruption. The problem is not with the severity
of the punishment for crime. In fact, corruption is the primary reason why many
felons are not getting caught, and not getting punished, and this in turn has
only abetted even more crime," Atienza said.
The bill is expected to undergo plenary debates under second reading once
Congress resumes from its Christmas break on Jan. 16.
The bill hurdled the justice committee on Dec. 7.
The bill seeks to impose death penalty for more than 20 heinous offenses, such
as rape with homicide, kidnapping for ransom, and arson with death.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Duterte's staunch ally in Congress, filed the bill
seeking to reimpose the death penalty after former President now Pampanga Rep.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo abolished capital punishment in 2006 for its failure to
deter crime.
Alvarez filed the bill pursuant to President Duterte's campaign promise of
returning capital punishment against heinous criminals.
"Philippine society is left with no option but to deal with certain grievous
offenders in a manner commensurate to the gravity, perversity, atrociousness
and repugnance of their crimes," according to the bill. Duterte won the
elections on a campaign promise to restore death penalty.
Alvarez said Congress would look into the cheapest way of carrying out the
death penalty, either by firing squad, lethal injection or by hanging.
(source: newsinfo.inquirer.net)
*******************
Pro-life coalition formed vs death penalty revival
Pro-life advocates have formed a coalition to oppose moves by the House of
Representatives to revive capital punishment in line with President Duterte's
tough stance against criminality, opposition lawmakers bared yesterday.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said there has been a "widening coalition of
legislators, religious ministers both from the Catholic Church and other
religious denominations, civil society and NGO networks, and college students
and youth" opposing the reimposition of the death penalty.
"The broad coalition of anti-death penalty advocates will sustain the campaign
against the proposed reimposition of capital punishment until the archaic
proposal is finally consigned to the legislative dustbin," he said.
Lagman stressed that death penalty is not a solution to criminality and the
drug menace.
"The prevention of heinous crimes involves a complex and multidimensional
process relative to problems ranging from poverty and inequity to police
corruption and brutality, inept and discriminatory prosecution, and flawed
judicial system," he explained.
"All of these negative factors contribute to the fallibility of human justice,
which ensnare to the gallows even the innocent. Consequently, punishment alone
is not the solution to crimes," he added.
Another opposition legislator, Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay party-list, also hit
Duterte's plan to execute through lethal injection 5 to 6 convicts a day.
"It will sink the Philippines into an unprecedented era of darkness and
medieval savagery. If the President had his way, our predominantly Catholic
country could go down as the world's new top executioner, ahead of non-Catholic
countries such as China, Iran and Pakistan," Atienza said.
Duterte's execution plan means that more than 2,000 will be undergoing
state-sanctioned killings per year. Compare this to the 1,634 convicts executed
in 25 countries around the world in 2015 recorded by Amnesty International
(AI).
Excluding China, only 3 countries - Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia - were
responsible for nearly 90 % of the executions.
Iran executed 977 convicts by hanging in 2015, Pakistan put 326 to death by
hanging, while Saudi Arabia killed 158 by beheading. The number of executions
in China is regarded a state secret.
(source: Philippine Star)
IRAN----execution
Prioner Executed on Drug Related Charges
A prisoner was reportedly executed at Bandar Abbas Central Prison (Hormozgan
province, southern Iran) on Tuesday December 27. According to close sources,
the prisoner, Khaled Jowhari, was executed for possession and trafficking 1
kilogram and 850 grams of crystal meth and approximately 1/2 a kilogram of
crack. Mr. Jowhari was reportedly arrested on Saturday November 5, 2011 and
sentenced to death by the revolutionary court in Bandar Abbas on Tuesday August
14, 2012.
Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have been
silent about this execution.
Iranian authorities continue to implement death sentences for drug related
offenses at a high rate even when an urgent plan was approved in the Iranian
Parliament last week calling for a halt to the execution of prisoners on death
row for drug related offenses. Additionally, Iranian Parliament members
recently sent a joint letter to the head of Iran's Judiciary asking for the
imminent execution of approximately 5,000 drug-related prisoners to be stopped
pending further review of their cases.
(source: Iran Human Rights)
SUDAN:
Sudan acquits pastor in trial of Christians charged with capital crimes
A court in Khartoum, Sudan, on Monday released a pastor from prison after
acquitting him of charges punishable by the death penalty, sources said.
Rev Kwa (also transliterated Kuwa) Shamaal, head of missions of the Sudanese
Church of Christ (SCOC), was acquitted of charges ranging from spying to
inciting hatred against the government. He had been arrested without charges
from his home on 18th December, 2015.
"Yes, he was released today after the court found that he was not guilty of the
charges brought against him," said attorney Muhanad Nur, part of the team of
lawyers defending Shamaal and 3 other Christians.
Relieved SCOC church leaders expressed their joy.
"Thank God for his release," said one SCOC leader. "We were sure he was
innocent."
The court also charged Kwa's colleague, Rev Hassan Abduraheem Taour, and 2
other Christians, Czech aid worker Petr Jasek and Abdulmonem Abdumawla of
Darfu, with crimes against the state that carry death penalty.
The charges include espionage, waging war against the state and gathering false
news information, as well as inciting hatred between classes. Abdelrahim Tawor
was also arrested from his home on 18th December, 2015.
After the 2 pastors' arrest a year ago, Rev Shamal was released on 21st
December, 2015, but was required to report daily to the offices of the National
Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), a requirement that was removed on
16th January last year. He was re-arrested on 25th May.
Rev Shamaal and Rev Taour were charged with trying to tarnish the image of
Sudan's government by collecting information on persecution of Christians and
genocide in the Nuba Mountains. The charges included collecting information for
"other parties hostile to Sudan". They were accused of conducting intelligence
activities and providing material support for Nuba rebels in South Kordofan
under 2 charges that carry the death penalty - waging war against the state
(Article 51 of the Sudanese Criminal Code) and spying (Article 53).
Similarly charged are Czech aid worker Jasek and Abdumawla, who initially said
he was Muslim but later admitted he was Christian. He was arrested in December,
2015, after he began collecting money to help a friend, Ali Omer, who had
needed treatment for burns suffered in a student demonstration. Abdumawla
contacted Abdelrahim Tawor, who donated money for Omer's treatment, which
apparently raised the ire of Sudanese authorities, according to Christian
Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).
Prosecutors have charged Mr Jasek, also arrested in December, 2015, with
"tarnishing Sudan's image" by documenting persecution. He is also charged with
waging war against the state, reportedly based on an accusation that he gave
money to "some individuals" in South Kordofan in 2012, allegedly including some
rebel fighters.
At one hearing, NISS official Abbas el Tahir accused the defendants of
conducting "hostile activities against the state that threaten the national and
social security" in Sudan, according to Netherlands-based Radio Dabanga.
"Since 2012, we banned organizations or individuals working against Sudan," El
Tahir reportedly said. "However, these NGOs still work and plan to threaten the
national security and harm the society's interest."
He accused aid organisations of publishing false reports against Sudan.
Attorney Nur said he is hopeful that the other defendants also will be released
soon. The next court hearing is scheduled for 9th January.
Foreign diplomats and international rights activists have taken notice of the
case since Morning Star News broke the story of the arrest of 2 pastors in
December, 2015. Their arrest is seen as part of a recent upsurge in harassment
of Christians.
Most SCOC members have roots among the ethnic Nuba in the Nuba Mountains of
Sudan's South Kordofan state, where the government is fighting an insurgency.
The Nuba along with other Christians in Sudan face discrimination, as President
Omar al-Bashir has vowed to introduce a stricter version of sharia (Islamic
law) and recognize only Islamic culture and Arabic language.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Al-Bashir in
connection with war crimes in Darfur. Due to its treatment of Christians and
other human rights violations, Sudan has been designated a Country of
Particular Concern by the U.S. State Department since 1999, and the US
Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended the country remain on
the list in its 2016 report.
Sudan ranked 8th on Christian support organisation Open Doors??? 2016 World
Watch List of countries where Christians face most persecution.
(source: sightmagazine.com.au)
INDIA:
India Death Penalty Report-2016
In 2016, the Judgments of the Apex Court which considered the Criminal Appeals
by Death row convicts, raised a suspicion whether it is becoming more and more
reluctant to award/confirm death penalty. In the month of September 2016, we
saw the Apex Court setting aside death penalty in seven cases in a row. The
only death penalty confirmed by the Apex Court in 2016, was in October, when it
dismissed the review petition filed by an Ex-Cop whose death sentence was
confirmed by the Court.
The Supreme Court, in December has also agreed to examine whether the High
Court of Delhi has jurisdiction to entertain a plea against rejection of mercy
petition of a death row convict, who was convicted by courts in another state.
In Nirbhaya Case, 1 of the 2 amicus curiae appointed by the Court, has
submitted before the Court that there is no evidence to prove conspiracy in the
Nirbhaya rape and murder case and the death penalty imposed ought to be
revisited.
As far as High Courts are concerned, the Rajasthan High Court has upheld the
death sentence imposed on a man convicted of sexual harassment and murder of an
8-year-old girl, terming the crime "rarest of the rare". The Bombay High court
commuted the death sentence imposed on a man accused of killing his wife,
daughter and mother in law, into sentence for life imprisonment. The Allahabad
High Court has commuted the death sentence awarded by a trial court for a man
accused of raping and murdering a 4-year-old girl, to life imprisonment. Kerala
High Court has recently commuted the death sentence of Ripper Jayanandan to
Life Imprisonment specifically till the end of his life.
The NIA Court of Hyderabad has awarded death penalty to Yaseen Bhatkal and four
other Indian Mujahideen operators, who were accused of perpetrating 2
consecutive bomb explosions that took place at Dilsukhnagar market in 2013 in
Hyderabad.
The Centre on the Death Penalty published Death Penalty India Report which
found that most in death row are backward, uneducated and 1st time offenders
with no previous crime history. Another finding was, that out of 1,486 death
sentences imposed by the trial courts, only 4.9% (73 prisoners) remained on
death row after the appeal in the Supreme Court was decided.
In November 2016, India voted against a UN resolution to establish a moratorium
on death penalty, stating that it contravened statutory law in India. 115
countries had voted in favour of the resolution. No executions were carried out
in India in 2015 and 2016.
Following are the judgments in death penalty cases decided by the Supreme
Court.
September 1: Triple murder case (Shyam Singh vs. Madhya Pradesh) A three-judge
Bench of the apex court comprising Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Prafulla C.
Pant and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit commuted the death penalty awarded to one
Shyam Singh from Madhya Pradesh after he was found guilty of committing
parenticide and murdering his nephew.
September 8: Rape-cum-murder of 7 year old (Rajesh vs. State of Madhya Pradesh)
The same Bench acquitted a rape-cum-murder accused of murder charges and upheld
life imprisonment and conviction under Section 376 (2) (f) and 377 IPC.
September 15: Soumya rape-cum-murder case (Kerala) (Govindaswamy vs. State of
Kerala): The Bench acquitted Govindachami, the accused in Soumya
rape-cum-murder case, of murder charges, while upholding the conviction and
sentence under Section 376 IPC for rape and other offences.
September 15: Multiple murder case (Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Wani vs. State of J & K)
The Bench commuted death penalty of one Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Wani from Jammu and
Kashmir, who was convicted for his involvement in the death of one Mohd. Yousuf
Ganai and his family members, and also for the murder of one Mohd. Ishaq Bhat.
September 18: Rape-cum-murder of 7 year old (Tattu Lodhi @ Pancham Lodhi vs.
State of Madhya Pradesh) Another SC Bench comprising Justice Chelameswar,
Justice Shiva Kirti Singh and Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre commuted the death
sentence awarded by a trial court and confirmed by the High Court of Madhya
Pradesh for a man accused of raping and murdering a 7-year-old girl, to life
imprisonment with the further direction that he shall not be released from
prison till he completes the actual period of 25 years of imprisonment.
September 21: Rape-cum-murder of 7 year old (Kamlesh @ Ghanti vs. State of
Madhya Pradesh) The SC Bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi commuted the death
penalty imposed by the trial court and the high court on Kamlesh @ Ghanti, who
was found guilty of raping and murdering a 7-year-old girl.
September 23: Murder of wife and 5 kids (Dhal Singh Dewangan vs. State of
Chhattisgarh) The Bench acquitted Dhal Singh Dewangan, who was sentenced to
death by the Chhattisgarh High Court for killing his wife and 5 minor children
by a 2:1 majority. Justices Ranjan Gogoi and U.U. Lalit have set aside the high
court judgment that confirmed the death penalty while Justice Prafulla C. Pant
upheld the judgment.
October 4: Review plea against Death penalty dismissed [BA Umesh vs. Registrar,
High Court of Karnataka] The Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi
confirming the death penalty imposed on a rape-cum-murder convict Umesh, by
dismissing his review petition against the dismissal of appeals by the apex
court in 2011. The apex court Bench comprising Justice Altamas Kabir and
Justice A.K. Patnaik in 2011, had dismissed the appeal against confirmation of
death penalty imposed on B.A. Umesh by the Karnataka High Court for the
rape-cum-murder of a housewife.
(source: livelaw.in)
PAKISTAN:
Islamic Group Calls for Death of Son of Murdered Pakistani Politician After He
Criticized Blasphemy Law----Shaan Taseer was condemned after recording
Christmas message that was critical of the country's law
Shaan Taseer, the son of a prominent Pakistani politician assassinated over
blasphemy allegations, is himself now the target of a police case and a fatwa
calling for his killing after he recorded a Christmas message criticizing the
country's blasphemy law.
Mr. Taseer, a human-rights activist, was condemned in the religious edict by an
Islamic group from the country's mainstream religious tradition, after he
recorded the message for Pakistan's Christian minority.
In the video message, he called the country's blasphemy law "inhumane" and
expressed sympathy for Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death by
Pakistan's courts on blasphemy charges.
In Pakistan, blasphemy is illegal and it carries the death penalty. Activists
say that the threat of being accused of blasphemy has created a climate of
fear, where anyone can be targeted and the law can't be discussed.
"I'm now in a position something like Salman Rushdie," said Mr. Taseer,
referring to the novelist who has had to live in hiding since a 1989 edict
condemned him to death. "They have called for my assassination."
His father, Salmaan Taseer, then governor of Punjab province, was shot dead in
2011 by his own bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, after he criticized Pakistan's
blasphemy laws. Mr. Qadri was executed last year after a Supreme Court verdict,
but his funeral was attended by huge crowds, and his followers are building an
ornate shrine just outside Islamabad over his grave.
According to the fatwa, issued by a group called Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool
Allah, the younger Mr. Taseer has "crossed all limits of insulting God and the
prophet" and is now "condemnable to death". The group, which is legal, is from
the Barelvi sect, the biggest Muslim denomination in the country, which is
normally considered moderate but on the issue of blasphemy, it is the most
hardline.
"In no unclear terms, they've told their supporters to prepare another Mumtaz
Qadri," said Mr. Taseer, adding that he had received hundreds of messages of
hate and death threats since he was accused.
Police in Lahore also registered a case against Mr. Taseer under the blasphemy
law. The case is under a section of the law meant for hate speech.
According to the charge, dated Dec. 30, police found a recording on a memory
stick left outside a police station in which a person "ridiculed a religious
law, which may cause provocation."
Nasir Hameed, the police officer in charge of the Islampura police station in
Lahore where the case is registered, said officers were investigating further.
The case doesn't name Shaan Taseer, but he identifies himself by name in the
recording.
"Having a fatwa and a blasphemy case against you is putting a target on your
back," said Jibran Nasir, a lawyer and activist. "These fanatics can motivate
people to get you anywhere."
Mr. Taseer, aged 45, is currently outside Pakistan and asked for his location
not to be revealed. Activists fear that the fatwa still puts him in danger
abroad and also prevents his ability to return.
In Pakistan, crowds often surround police stations to pressure police into
registering blasphemy cases, in which both Muslims and non-Muslims are
targeted. Activists say that the evidence is usually flimsy and the blasphemy
law is regularly used to settle personal scores. Allegations of blasphemy have
repeatedly in the past motivated mobs to kill the accused.
Separately, the same religious group threatened on Dec. 31 to issue a fatwa
against leading opposition politician Imran Khan, unless he apologizes for a
supposed insult to the Prophet Mohammad in a speech. There was no immediate
response from Mr. Khan's spokesperson.
(source: Wall Street Journal)
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