Asia Bibi has been in jail since 2009 in a blasphemy case, then an additional district and session judge convicted and sentenced her to death in November 2010. Her husband Ashiq said; "This appeal was supposed to be a ray of hope, but the rejection of the appeal has shattered our confidence." He is still hopeful and stated that the family will now appeal to the Supreme Court..
Abdul Hameed Rana, senior supreme court lawyer and attorney to Rimsha said;
"The history of this trial confirms the problems emanating from Pakistan's legal system. Extra-judicial confessions, incongruencies within testimonies from prosecution witnesses, along with procedural glitches from the police, have been ignored.
He remains optimistic that the Supreme Court of Pakistan will probably acquit her.
Our lead researcher Shamim Masih will be visiting her family tomorrow to gauge their reaction and to see how we can help them through this terrible news. Humanitarian groups across the globe are condemning this latest legal debacle and prayers are being said for the suffering family.
Please sign our petition for Asia Bibi (click here)
BPCA Chairman Wilson Chowdhry said;
"This is a devastating blow to the humanitarian cause for Christians in Pakistan. This news of the failure of her appeal has had a hugely demoralising affect on Minorities in Pakistan, who feel the legal system has regressed – despite promises of reform."
He added;
"The people most affected by this news will be Asia Bibi and her immediate family. Asia had great hope that this Appeal hearing would be the start of a new freedom. However, the rejection of the appeal will have no doubt shattered her confidence and resolve. She will need our prayers and support. Her five children have had to live in protected accommodation which will continue for the foreseeable future. There seems to be no escape from the hell this family have undergone, quite the opposite it seems to get worse despite all our efforts."
BPCA is calling for global support for her release. Please contact your MP's, and any High Commission/Consulate/Embassy for Pakistan in your respective areas calling for a presidential pardon or better scrutiny of evidence within any proposed Supreme Court hearing.
Please pray over this whole situation and ask God to give Asia and her family his covering of protection. Asia has had previous assassination attempts whilst in prison, and these will grow with the increasing level of hatred towards minorities, exhibited in modern day Pakistan.
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http://www.britishpakistanichristians.co.uk/blog/asia-bibi-appeal-hearing-dismissed