Death Penalty For Christians In Pakistan

EDM number 590 in 1994-95, proposed by David Alton on 09/02/1995.

That this House is appalled at the death sentence passed on two Christians, fourteen year old Salamat Masih and Rehmat Masih on 9th February in Pakistan; notes that this penalty was passed under the country's blasphemy laws, that the complainant, Fazul-Haq, had indicated his desire to withdraw the allegations of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad, in open court, only two days before sentence was passed, and that it appears he was threatened by Islamic extremists to prevent him withdrawing his allegation; and calls upon the Government of Pakistan to recognise the weakness of the evidence in the case, including the fact that Salamat Masih was illiterate at the time of the alleged crime though he is accused of having written blasphemous words and to press for the urgent review of this sentence and for the release of Salamat Masih and Rehmat Masih.

This motion has been signed by a total of 66 MPs, 2 of these signatures have been withdrawn.