Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Pakistan

Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: August/5/2020

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Other) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Online Activity

Nature of Charges: Blasphemy Hate Speech

Sohail Masih

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Sohail Masih is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2020, authorities arrested Masih after he was accused of posting content on Facebook deemed to be blasphemous. Authorities charged Masih with "intending to outrage religious feelings" (Sec. 295-A PPC) and "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC).

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Pakistan

Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: June/2/2020

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures)

Nature of Charges: Blasphemy

Anwar Masih

Extra Bio Info:

Anwar Masih is detained for alleged blasphemy.

On June 2, 2020, authorities arrested Masih following a dispute with some Muslim family members. Authorities, who were called to mediate, accused Masih of blasphemy and charged him with "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C) against the family's wishes. Other Christian members of his family were forced into hiding following threats and intimidation.

Masih was previously charged with blasphemy in November 2003, but was acquitted in December 2004.

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Pakistan

Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: December/27/2019

Date of Release: November/10/2020

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Texts)

Nature of Charges: Blasphemy

Shahbaz Masih

Extra Bio Info:

Shahbaz Masih was detained for blasphemy.

On December 27, 2019, authorities arrested Masih and his friend, Muhammad Ishaq, and charged them with "desecrating the Qur'an" (Sec. 295-B PPC).  According to reports, the two were accused of burning pages of the Qur'an following an altercation with individuals in the community.

On November 10, 2020, Masih was granted bail.

Related Cases: Muhammad Ishaq

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