Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Pakistan
Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: Death
Date of Detainment: October/10/2013
Date of Sentencing: September/8/2020
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Blasphemy (Religious Texts) Online Activity
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy Hate Speech
Asif Pervaiz
Extra Bio Info:
Asif Pervaiz is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.
In October 2013, authorities arrested Pervaiz after a coworker accused him of sending blasphemous text messages. Authorities accused him of “intending to outrage religious feelings,” “desecrating the Qur’an,” and “insulting the Prophet Muhammad” (Secs. 295-A–C PPC).
In September 2020, authorities sentenced Pervaiz to death and fined him 50,000 rupees.
Publicly Available Information:
- USCIRF Annual Report 2023: Pakistan
- USCIRF Annual Report 2022: Pakistan
- USCIRF Annual Report 2021: Pakistan
- "Christian accused of blasphemy faces death sentence" Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)
- "Pakistani Christian Sentenced to Death for Allegedly Sending Blasphemous Text Messages in 2013" International Christian Concern (ICC)
- "Pakistan court sentences Christian to death on blasphemy charges" Reuters
Gender: Female
Current Location: Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi
Perpetrator: Pakistan
Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: July/29/2021
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Online Activity
Nature of Charges: Aid & Abetment Blasphemy Hate Speech
Shagufta Kiran
Extra Bio Info:
Shagufta Kiran is detained for alleged blasphemy.
In July 2021, authorities arrested Kiran after she was accused of forwarding content deemed blasphemous via WhatsApp in September 2020. Police reportedly raided her family's home, seizing their electronics and arresting her, her husband, and two sons. Authorities released her family members, who went into hiding, but kept Shagufta. Authorities charged her with "insulting the Prophet Muhammad," "uttering words with deliberate intent to outrage religious feelings," "using derogatory remarks in respect of holy personages," abetment, and "inciting interfaith hatred" (Secs. 295, 298, 109 PPC; Sec. 11 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016). Authorities confined her to Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi.
Publicly Available Information:
- "Christian woman still jailed in Islamabad on blasphemy charges after more than nine months" Asia News
- The Voiceless Victims of Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws International Christian Concern (ICC)
- "Islamic Extremists Charge Christian Woman with Blasphemy" Morning Star News
- "A difficult journey to safety" The News On Sunday
- "Another Christian Woman Accused of Blasphemy for Forwarding a Text" CLAAS-UK
Additional Name(s): Salma Tanvir
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Pakistan
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: Death
Date of Detainment: September//2013
Date of Sentencing: September/27/2021
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures)
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy
Salma Tanveer
Extra Bio Info:
Salma Tanveer is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.
In September 2013, authorities arrested Tanveer, a school principal, after she was accused of distributing writings that challenged Islam's prophets and claimed to be a prophet herself. Authorities charged her with "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC).
In September 2021, authorities sentenced Tanveer to death and fined her 50,000 rupees.