Pakistan Supreme Court Keeps Death Sentence for Christian Man in Blasphemy Case

In a landmark decision, Pakistan's Supreme Court maintained the death sentence for Christian man Qaisar Ayub, convicted of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, after more than ten years of litigation. His brother Amoon Ayub, arrested a year later, was released from the death penalty but remains incarcerated. Observers report that blasphemy hearings are often surrounded by threatening crowds, with videos showing mobs threatening judges.

NGOs such as the American Center for Law and Justice and its Pakistani partner, the Organization for Legal Aid, have highlighted the absence of any proven link between the brothers and the offending online content. The United Nations Special Rapporteur and the Human Rights Council have expressed grave concern over the mandatory death penalty and the apparent lack of solid evidence. OLA intends to file a review petition with the Supreme Court and appeal to the Pakistani government for a presidential pardon. The ruling is seen as a precedent that could affect dozens of other prisoners facing blasphemy accusations.