Pakistan – Supreme Court Acquits Asia Bibi on Alleged Blasphemy Case – Orders Immediate Release from Prison
Author: WUNRN
Date: November 5, 2018
AFP, October 31, 2018
The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death on blasphemy charges, after accepting her appeal against her sentence.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel had reserved its ruling on Asia Bibi’s final legal appeal against execution (Asia Bibi v. The State, etc) on October 8.
The appeal, accepted by SC in 2015, challenged the Lahore High Court’s October 2014 verdict upholding a trial court’s November 2010 decision sentencing Bibi to death for committing blasphemy in 2009.
“The appeal is allowed. She has been acquitted. The judgement of high court as well as trial court is reversed. Her conviction is set aside,” Justice Nisar said as he announced the verdict to a packed courtroom.
“Her conviction is set aside and she is to be relieved forthwith if not required in other charges,” he added.
