Woman sentenced to life imprisonment for burning religious book in Pakistan

Islamabad, dated March 23, 2024

A Pakistani court has sentenced a woman to life imprisonment in the incident of burning a religious book.

According to the details, 40-year-old Asia Bibi, who lives on Bedian Road in the city of Lahore, Punjab province, was arrested by the police in 2021 based on the complaint of a person from the same area. The woman was accused of burning a religious book outside her house.

After the hearing of this case, the local court of Lahore has sentenced the woman to life imprisonment. However, during the court hearing, the woman's lawyer argued that this case is not about hurting religious sentiments. The neighbor had falsely implicated the woman in a personal enmity with the woman. Apart from this, there are contradictions in the statements of the witnesses presented by the public prosecutor. In this case, instead of the chief prosecutor, a police officer was produced as a witness. It was not.

After hearing the arguments of both sides, the court gave a verdict that the prosecution has proved that the woman has burnt the religious book in this case. For this, the woman is sentenced to life imprisonment.

Asia Bibi's lawyer has now challenged this verdict in the Lahore High Court and expressed hope that the High Court will grant relief to the woman.