Let us pray that this appeal is heard and acted upon immediately through whatever diplomatic channels are necessary. Pope Benedict had unsuccessfully appealed for the release of the Catholic mother of five. May Pope Francis add his input. I have posted several columns on our website concerning the plight of Asia Bibi. Pakistan’s brutality in her regard and so many other so-called “blasphemers” is appalling. May God continue to give her strength and strength to her family. Perhaps if she were a political dissident, a Communist even, Amnesty International would be more strident and address her cause. Our holy Church, however, is more powerful than Amnesty International.
The Eponymous Flower: Asia Bibi, Pakistan’s most famous prisoner has sent a letter to Pope Francis. The now 43 year old Pakistani Catholic has been in prison since n June 2009 for allegedly insulting Islam. Accused by two Islamic religious leaders of having engaging a Muslim women in a dispute where she maintained that it was not Mohammed who was the “true prophet” of God, but Jesus Christ, she is the first woman to be sentenced to death in the country on 8 November 2010. Since then, she is held under particularly tight security in prison during her appeal process. The mother of five children was sentenced under Article 295 (C) of 1986 anti-blasphemy law introduced in the Pakistan Penal Code. Read more here.
