Indian Christian Groups Regret Hanging Of Christian In Pakistan Despite Clemency Appeals

NEW DELHI, MAR. 14, 2008, 09.20 Hrs (CBCI News):

Christian organisations and rights activists have “mourned and regretted” the hanging of a young Christian, Zahid Masih, on 12 March 2008 by the Pakistani regime.

The following is the text of the Statement by Dr John Dayal on behalf of the All; India Christian Council, the All India Catholic Union, United Christian Action and other civil society and faith groups:

The Human Rights movement in the world must surely mourn the hanging of a Christian, Zahid Masih, on 12 March 2008 by the Pakistani regime at the end of trial widely criticized as violative of the principles of justice.

Masih was hanged to death at 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday, March 12 after being convicted of killing a Muslim boy. Zahid Masih, who was in his 20s, was executed at the Central Jail in the city of Multan in Pakistan's Punjab province despite appeals for clemency. News reports said his frail mother and other relatives were seen crying inconsolably outside the jail when they received Masih's human remains, two hours after the execution took place.

Pakistani and international rights groups have said it was an unfair trial. The defense team, church groups, and human rights organizations urged Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and other authorities to grant him clemency. Masih's lawyer, Prince Rehan Iftikhar, said he had personally filed a mercy appeal. The lawyer has said that during court proceedings "Zahid Masih was not given any chance to defend himself", adding that "Pakistan's government has treated him like a dog. No one heard our voice for mercy."

The hanging of the Christian youth comes even as the President of Pakistan, retired General Pervez Musharraf released an Indian citizen who had been condemned to death on charges of spying. Clemency is also shown to many others on death row in Pakistan's prisons.It is a matter of deep regret that Pakistan's governments, despite claims of the rule of law and justice continue to be extraordinarily harsh in prosecuting Christians, facing either charges of blasphemy under Islamabad's notorious anti Blasphemy laws, or other criminal charges.

Under tremendous international pressure, including that by Indian Christian organisations such as the AICC and the AICU, the government in the past had reviewed the cases of other condemned prisoners. But in recent years, even as regime professes a commitment to democratic norms, the international human rights movements have seen a hardening of attitude in the authorities, both at the Federal government level as also in the provinces. This was also revealed by Pakistani delegates who attended the recent South Asian Minorities Council's Global meeting at Parliament House complex in New Delhi.

We fully expect the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religious Beliefs now touring India, the UN Human Rights Council, and the Indian government to take up the matter of treatment of religious minorities- particularly the microscopic Christian community - by the regime in Islamabad.