ICC Note:

A recent report by the British Pakistani Christian Association claims that a Christian mother and her 9-year-old son were tortured by police after being detained last month on charges of blasphemy. According to the report, the 9-year-old was accused of burning pages of the Quran and was arrested along with his mother. During their detainment, the Christians claim that police attempted to torture them into confessing. Fortunately, they resisted and were later set free after intervention by local human rights groups. Will false accusations of blasphemy continue to plague the Christian community of Pakistan?

11/02/2016 Pakistan (Eurasia News) – A young boy and his mother said they were tortured while detained by police over blasphemy allegations in the Pakistani city of Quetta, said a Christian rights group.

Nine-year old Christian boy Inzam was accused of burning a copy of the Quran, which saw him being arrested and detained along with his mother, Shakil on Oct. 21, says the London-based charity British Pakistani Christians Association.

“The arrests were made without investigation on the testimony of a Muslim witness and was totally in accordance with the draconian blasphemy laws of Pakistan,” said a report on the charity’s website.

“A Muslim witness is given higher authority than non-Muslim testimonies under Shariah law; these are Islamic laws that determine Pakistani law,” the report said.

After four days of lobbying from rights groups and politicians the young boy and her mother were released Oct. 25.

“The mother and child have expressed in no uncertain terms that they had been interrogated and suffered torture during their four day detainment,” said the report.

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