Tag: Blasphemy

Pakistan: Christian boy, 16, arrested for Kaaba ‘blasphemy’

September 20, 2016 Pakistan Blasphemy, Faisalabad, Gojra, Islamic extremism, Kasur, Lahore, Nabeel Masih, Pakistan Muslim League, Pentecostals

The boy is alleged to have "defamed" the Kaaba in Mecca

Nabeel Masih, 16, is alleged to have “defamed” the Kaaba in Mecca, the building at the centre of Islam’s most sacred mosque.Amalia Sari / Flickr / CC A 16-year-old Christian boy has been accused of committing blasphemy by “liking” and sharing a post on Facebook which “defamed and disrespected” . . . Read More

Copt teens flee Egypt after blasphemy convictions

September 5, 2016 Egypt Blasphemy, Copts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Upper Egypt

Four Coptic teenagers sentenced to five years in prison for “blasphemy against Islam” have escaped from Egypt, via Turkey, to apply for religious asylum in Switzerland. They flew out of Istanbul on 1 Sept. under special “humanitarian” visas granted by the Swiss government. Since early April, they had lived in . . . Read More

Blasphemy rumour leads to arson, 8 dead

August 24, 2016 Nigeria Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, Prophet Muhammad, Zamfara

A mob, outraged by reports that Islam’s holy prophet had been insulted, burned down a house in northwest Nigeria 22 Aug., killing eight people inside. Police confirmed the incident, the news organization . It began when a student of Abdu Gusau Polytechnic school in Nigeria’s Zamfara state was alleged to . . . Read More

In new report on religious freedom, US government turns its attention to blasphemy laws

August 10, 2016 Blasphemy, Boko Haram, Islamic State

The U.S. State Department on 10 Aug. released its 2015 International Religious Freedom Report. Required by U.S. law, the report contains an assessment of the conditions supporting, or suppressing, freedom of religion or belief in nearly 200 countries, excluding the United States. The annual document influences American diplomacy and assistance . . . Read More

N. Nigerian church attacked for ‘Friday’ services

July 18, 2016 Nigeria Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Niger, Nigeria, Prophet Muhammad

A Catholic church in Niger State, northern Nigeria, was attacked by Muslim youths on Friday (15 July). Eyewitnesses told the Daily Post that people who had gone to the church to pray were attacked by Muslims claiming that Friday was their day of prayer and that Christians only had the . . . Read More

Pakistan: Christian family flees after WhatsApp blasphemy accusation

July 13, 2016 Pakistan Blasphemy, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Nadeem Masih, Sunni Tehreek

A Pakistani Christian and his family have fled their home in the religiously conservative city of Gujrat, after he was accused of committing blasphemy by sending an offensive message via mobile-phone text. Nadeem Masih, 23, from the Yaqoobabad area of the city, and his family are on the run after . . . Read More

Pakistani Christian who sought police help instead faces death for ‘blasphemy’

July 1, 2016 Pakistan Blasphemy, Gujranwala, Islamic extremism, Police, Shahbaz Bhatti

The Science Locus School of Science & Arts in Gujranwala, Pakistan.www.sciencelocusschool.edu.pk An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced a Christian man to death for committing blasphemy against the prophet of Islam. Anjum Sandhu, 60, had initially sought police protection in May 2015, after alleging he was the victim of . . . Read More

5 Pakistani Christians released, 2 jailed for ‘blasphemy’ of calling pastor a ‘prophet’

June 30, 2016 Pakistan Blasphemy, Gujrat, Islamic extremism, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Nawaz Sharif, Prophet Muhammad

Pastor Fazal Masih, who died 20 years ago, was hailed as a ‘prophet’ on a flyer inviting Christians to a memorial ceremony.World Watch Monitor UPDATE (1 July, 2016): Five Pakistani Christians charged with blasphemy last year in the religiously conservative city of Gujrat have been acquitted, but two others have been . . . Read More

Pakistani Christian shot, family attacked after he asks for pay

June 22, 2016 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Kasur

The Pakistani district of Kasur became infamous in late 2014 when a young Christian couple were brutally attacked by a mob and burned alive. The trial of their attackers is still going on. Now a Christian peasant in a remote village in the same area has been beaten up after . . . Read More

Pakistan bans TV shows for discussing blasphemy

June 20, 2016 Pakistan Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Ramadan, Sufi, Terrorism

Two TV shows in Pakistan were taken off air on Friday for discussing blasphemy laws, . The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said in a statement “an immediate ban has been imposed on TV One’s programme Ishq-e-Ramazan, and Aaj News’ programme Ramazan Hamara Iman”. PEMRA said both channels had . . . Read More

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