Vatican Insider: She is not asking Pope Francis for public appeals but for prayers. In the suffering of a life spent in prison, Asia Bibi bitterly mentions those who use her name to fulfil their own personal interests. The 44-year old Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan in 2009, has broken her silence and agreed to speak to Vatican Insider through Lahore’s “Renaissance Education Foundation” which is currently looking after her family and providing for legal assistance. The farm worker from rural Punjab ended up in prison over a cup of water, after a row she had with two Muslim women who made false accusations against her. Here she talks about her fourth Christmas behind bars, her life, her fears and hopes. Asia, who has been on death row for the past five years and is currently being detained in women’s prison in Multan, still holds strongly onto the Bible and her profound faith, trusting more in God’s Providence than in the Pakistani justice system. Since the high court upheld her death sentence, Asia is patiently awaiting the result of the third and final stage of her appeal which has been filed with the Supreme Court. Hoping for her miraculous release. Read the full interview here.
