Additional Name(s): Mariam Lal
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Pakistan
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: April/9/2021
Date of Release: September/23/2021
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Texts)
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy
Mariyum Lal
Extra Bio Info:
Mariyum Lal was detained for blasphemy.
On April 9, 2021, authorities arrested Lal, who is a nurse, and her coworker, Newsh Arooj, after an incident at their workplace. According to reporting, the two were accused of "desecrating the Qur'an" (Sec. 295-B PPC) after removing decorations and stickers from a wall inside Civil Hospital in Faisalabad, Punjab. Lal was allegedly assaulted by a coworker during the incident. Police reportedly detained the two nurses after a mob gathered around the hospital demanding their punishment.
In late April 2021, four UK parliamentarians called for the dropping of charges against Lal.
On September 23, 2021, Lal was released on bail.
Lal is reportedly a single mother with a teenage daughter.
Related Cases: Newsh Arooj
Sources:
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"Pakistan: Unprecedented bail for Christian nurses" Church In Chains
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"Blasphemy charges against Christian nurses Mariyum Lal and Newsh Arooj in Pakistan" UK Parliament
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"Authorities in Pakistan Block Press Conference Regarding Blasphemy Accusations" International Christian Concern (ICC)
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"Christian Nurses Arrested under Blasphemy Law in Pakistan" Morning Star News
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"Two Christian Nurses in Pakistan Falsely Accused of Blasphemy by Muslim Coworker" International Christian Concern (ICC)
Gender: Male
Current Location: Central Jail Sahiwal
Perpetrator: Pakistan
Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Acquitted
Sentence: Death on Appeal; Originally Life Imprisonment
Date of Sentencing: July//2013
Date of Release: November/13/2021
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Online Activity
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy
Sajjad Masih Gill
Extra Bio Info:
Sajjad Masih Gill was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.
On an unspecified date, authorities arrested Gill, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist community, after he was accused of sending a text message that disparaged the Prophet Muhammad in late 2011.
In July 2013, the court of Gojra, Punjab, sentenced Gill to life in prison for "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC).
Following his sentencing, members of Gill's family and attorneys have faced threats and violence. In 2015, his brother and nephew reported being attacked after visiting Gill in prison. In 2016, two lawyers reported receiving threats by armed men.
In March 2021, the Lahore High Court accepted a petition submitted by prosecutors to resentence Gill to death.
On October 26, 2021, a two-judge division bench of the Lahore High Court acquitted Gill reportedly due to insufficient evidence.
On November 13, 2021, Gill was released.
Sources:
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"Christian Sentenced to Death for ‘Blasphemy’ Acquitted" Morning Star News
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"Pakistan: Adventist Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy" Bitter Winter
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"Pakistan court admits petition seeking death for blasphemy convicts" Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News)
Oct 26, 2021
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Violations in Russia’s Republic of Chechnya
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following report on religious freedom violations in the Russian Federation’s Republic of Chechnya:
Russia Issue Update – The government of Chechnya—a tiny ethnic enclave in the North Caucasus region of Russia—is a highly authoritarian regime that perpetrates a wide array of human rights abuses, including severe violations of religious freedom. This report focuses on Chechnya as an example of the egregious religious repression in Russia. The dictatorship of Ramzan Kadyrov maintains hegemony through the imposition of a purported “traditional” version of Islam, which falsely claims to defend local belief and culture, and combat violent extremism. In reality, Kadyrov has coopted Chechen religion and culture to support his brutal regime, which violates the secular constitution of the Russian Federation and international standards of freedom of religion or belief.
In its 2021 Annual Report, USCIRF again recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Russia as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. USCIRF’s new Chechnya report presents analysis in support of this recommendation by focusing on one particular region of Russia’s troubled religious freedom landscape. Religious freedom conditions in Chechnya are among the worst in the world, and the Russian government is ultimately responsible for them.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].