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Pakistani court sentences woman to death for ‘blasphemous’ WhatsApp texting

The woman claims that she was the victim of the revenge of the guy to whom she denied intimacy.

On January 19, a court in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi sentenced a Muslim woman to death by hanging for “blasphemy.” The woman allegedly posted on WhatsApp images insulting the Prophet Muhammad and one of his wives. About it informs Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera.

According to the investigation and the court, in 2019, 26-year-old Anika Atik sent “offensive” materials via WhatsApp to a guy she met in an online game. The charge against her was first brought forward in May 2020.

“The blasphemous materials that were distributed / installed by the accused woman (in the WhatsApp messenger, – ed.), as well as the messages and cartoons that were sent to the applicant, are completely unbearable and intolerable for a Muslim,” the verdict says.

Anika Atik pleaded not guilty. At the trial, she said that the guy with whom she corresponded and who complained about her to the authorities, deliberately dragged her into a religious discussion. According to the woman, he wanted to set her up after she refused to “be friendly” to him.

Anika Atik’s execution is yet to be confirmed by the Lahore High Court, where the woman can appeal the sentence.

By data UN, Pakistani appellate courts overturn many blasphemy convictions.

Since the 1990s, at least 80 people in Pakistan have been killed or executed over accusations of insulting Islam, according to Al Jazeera. Among the victims are people accused of “blasphemy”, their family members, their lawyers and at least one judge.

It is worth noting that Pakistan is an Islamic state and “blasphemy” is considered a serious crime there.

Thus, according to Article 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, anyone who, verbally or in writing, either visually or in the form of an allusion, directly or indirectly, defiles the Prophet Muhammad, is sentenced to death, life imprisonment or to pay a fine.

However, according to the UN, Pakistani courts routinely sentence “blasphemy” to death.

It is noteworthy that calls for reform or criticism of the articles of the Pakistan Penal Code on crimes against religion are also prohibited by law.

Recall that the Taliban movement, which seized power in Afghanistan, praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for his words about the inadmissibility of insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

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