September 19, 2012

"No state should take away the right of its citizens to debate a law that affects them gravely. Therefore, there is a growing need of dialogue on the blasphemy law and its negative impacts on religious minorities in Pakistan," said I.A. Rehman, veteran human rights activist and director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in a side event at the United Nation's Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

"If we are not able to discuss the blasphemy law and its impact on people, especially the non-Muslims, I would call it a big disadvantage of our society," added Rehman.

The event was organized by the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) of the World Council of Churches (WCC) on 18 September, as part of its public hearing on the "Blasphemy law and the rights of minorities in Pakistan."

The CCIA meeting is currently taking place in conjunction with the 21st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"When the state and constitution make preference on the basis of religion, they end up violating the rights of their citizens. The blasphemy law is one among other laws that form a whole system of discrimination against religious minorities in Pakistan," said Peter Jacob, director of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Roman Catholic Church in Pakistan.

"The discrimination we find in the constitution and state policies translates into extremism and general intolerance in the society," added Jacob. He noted that the civil society in Pakistan has reached a consensus on the misuse of the blasphemy law, and because of this, a repeal of the law should be considered.

In the same panel, Dr Moulana Uzair Albazi of Muhammad Musa Albazi University in Lahore stressed the importance of the role of religious leaders in helping to curb the misuse of the blasphemy law. "The representatives of all faiths should have the opportunity to scrutinize the procedures of blasphemy cases to make sure that these laws are not used to victimize people," he said.

"Pakistan belongs to all its citizens, may they be Muslims, Christians, Hindus or others. Laws should not be misused to violate rights of the people," added Albazi.

The Rev. Kjell Magne Bondevik, moderator of the CCIA and the former prime minister of Norway, who chaired the panel discussion, said that "the international community need to pay more attention to curb the increasing trend of religious intolerance and misuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan."

He also added that he personally met with the prime minister of Pakistan on behalf of the CCIA last year to express concerns about the increasing violations of the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.

The blasphemy laws was amended in the Pakistan Penal Code in the 1980s by the military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq. Since then the blasphemy law have been criticized as vague, resulting into death penalties and mob-instigated violence.

The international public hearing will strategize for global advocacy to prevent the misuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan.

Read also:

WCC public hearing debates "misuse of blasphemy laws" in Pakistan (WCC press release of 17 September 2012): http://lists.wcc-coe.org/ct.html?ufl=d&rtr=on&s=jazjt,hgid,usx,4ocs,66xe,iczd,e4ua.

Church of Pakistan moderator urges government to curb "misuse of blasphemy law" (WCC feature article of 17 September 2012): http://lists.wcc-coe.org/ct.html?ufl=d&rtr=on&s=jazjt,hgid,usx,cr9h,7qkq,iczd,e4ua.

WCC Central Committee statement on misuse of blasphemy law in Pakistan, September 2009: http://lists.wcc-coe.org/ct.html?ufl=d&rtr=on&s=jazjt,hgid,usx,3kd,igqx,iczd,e4ua.

WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs: http://lists.wcc-coe.org/ct.html?ufl=d&rtr=on&s=jazjt,hgid,usx,hupo,bqw6,iczd,e4ua.

WCC member churches in Pakistan: http://lists.wcc-coe.org/ct.html?ufl=d&rtr=on&s=jazjt,hgid,usx,eo41,mfqo,iczd,e4ua.

World Council of Churches