The United Nations Human Rights Committee final week expressed concern over an increase in false accusations of blasphemy in Pakistan and known as for the nation's strict blasphemy legal guidelines to be repealed or modified.
The Committee famous that false accusations of blasphemy had led to Islamist mob violence and advisable that the legal guidelines be amended in keeping with the necessities of the Worldwide Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Within the concluding remarks of the committee's second common report on 7 November, the committee expressed concern over sections 295 and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which impose extreme penalties, together with the loss of life penalty, and have a disproportionate impression on non secular minorities.
“It’s also involved concerning the growing variety of individuals imprisoned on blasphemy costs, the excessive variety of blasphemy circumstances based mostly on false accusations, violence towards these accused of blasphemy, the promotion of vigilante justice and allegations of individuals, particularly younger individuals, being caught on costs of on-line blasphemy below cybercrime legal guidelines,” the committee mentioned.
He emphasised ending the usage of cybercrime legal guidelines such because the Prevention of Digital Crimes Act (PECA) of 2016 to prosecute and detain these accused of violating on-line blasphemy legal guidelines. The committee additionally known as on the federal government to analyze allegations of huge abuse of blasphemy legal guidelines in relation to cybercrime legal guidelines and to publish the findings of the investigation.
“[The committee] can be involved concerning the chilling impression that legal defamation, blasphemy, sedition and counter-terrorism legal guidelines and different just lately adopted laws are having on the train of freedom of expression by journalists, activists, human rights defenders and members of ethnic and non secular minorities,” it mentioned.
Urging Pakistan to take all needed measures to make sure a speedy and honest trial for all these accused of blasphemy or different crimes towards faith, the committee highlighted jail situations and mentioned it was “additionally involved about studies of abuse of feminine prisoners, together with sexual violence, “. and that people accused of blasphemy are sometimes positioned in solitary confinement for prolonged durations. It stays involved concerning the widespread use of prolonged pretrial detention.
Mob violence
The committee cited studies of elevated violence and intimidation towards non secular minorities, together with the destruction of their locations of worship in Pakistan.
It additionally pointed to inadequate safety of spiritual minorities and inadequate accountability for crimes dedicated towards them. The UN rights physique has suggested Pakistan to stop all types of discrimination and violence towards non secular minorities.
“The Human Rights Committee is deeply involved by studies of a rise in discrimination, hate speech and crimes, mob violence, harassment and intimidation towards non secular minorities, notably Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus, Shiites and Sikhs, in addition to the destruction of their locations of worship and cemeteries, similar to was in Jaranwala in August 2023,” it mentioned. “Particularly, [Pakistan] ought to take all needed measures to stop and examine violent assaults towards individuals accused of blasphemy, particularly these in police custody or detention, together with mob lynchings and killings, and make sure that all perpetrators are prosecuted, convicted and duly punished .”
She added that authorities ought to make sure that anybody who incites or engages in violence based mostly on blasphemy costs, in addition to those that falsely accuse others of blasphemy, are delivered to justice and correctly punished.
Pressured conversion/marriage
The committee known as for speedy motion to guard girls and ladies, particularly non secular minorities, from compelled conversion to Islam and compelled marriage, saying the federal government “should increase the minimal age of marriage for each girls and boys to 18 throughout the nation with out exception.” .”
“[The committee] is alarmed by studies of persistent practices of kidnapping ladies belonging to spiritual minorities and forcing them to marry – no matter their age and relevant legal guidelines – and convert to Islam below risk of violence, leading to rape, human trafficking and different types of sexual and gender-based violence towards these ladies,” it mentioned.
She expressed concern at studies of widespread impunity surrounding these circumstances.
“Victims are often not returned to their households throughout investigations, however are compelled to stay with their captors, together with members of organized crime teams, or positioned in pointless and inappropriate foster care amenities with little or no regard for little one safety requirements, exposing victims to additional the danger of exploitation, abuse and dangerous practices,” the committee mentioned.
She known as on Pakistan to step up efforts to eradicate compelled conversions and compelled marriages, together with by strengthening its authorized framework and enforcement mechanisms.
“The state also needs to make sure that all allegations of compelled conversions and compelled marriages of ladies are promptly, impartially and successfully investigated, that these accountable are delivered to justice, and that each one victims have entry to efficient cures and assist companies similar to enough shelters. , authorized assist, psychological counseling and rehabilitation packages,” it mentioned.
Whereas noting the adoption of the Safety of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021, the committee expressed concern over frequent studies of enforced disappearances, torture, killings, threats and harassment of journalists and human rights defenders.
Pakistan ought to examine such incidents, prosecute the perpetrators and compensate the victims, she mentioned.
He expressed concern over the alarmingly frequent web shutdowns, amongst different technique of blocking social media platforms and on-line content material, and known as on Pakistan to cease proscribing freedom of expression and make sure that legal legal guidelines and anti-terrorism laws are usually not used to silence journalists and human rights defenders.
The Committee famous that Pakistani laws supplies for the loss of life penalty for greater than 30 crimes, together with non-violent crimes that don’t meet the edge of “probably the most critical crimes” throughout the that means of the ICCPR, together with blasphemy.
The committee mentioned studies from six international locations – Ecuador, France, Greece, Iceland, Pakistan and Türkiye – throughout its 142nd session on October 17-18 in Geneva. Concluding observations embody considerations and proposals for the implementation of the ICCPR and different associated conventions.
As within the earlier yr, Pakistan was ranked seventh on the record of probably the most troublesome locations for Christianity within the Open Doorways 2024 World Watch Checklist.
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