LAHORE, Pakistan — A judge’s ruling citing double jeopardy gives hope to a Pakistani Christian charged with blasphemy twice for the same alleged incident.
Double jeopardy prohibits a person from being prosecuted twice for the same offense, notes the news services Christian Daily International and Morning Star News, quoting attorney Lazar Allah Rakha.
A judge cited double jeopardy in the Feb. 20 acquittal of Noman Masih. Masih and his cousin Sunny Waqas were charged under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws for alleged derogatory statements about Muhammad. The sentence for such a conviction is death.
Waqas blamed Masih and was later granted bail and fled Pakistan, the news services stated.
Rakha said police used “secret information” and illegally charged Masih in two cities — Bahawalnagar and Bahawalpur — for the same incident. Masih was sentenced to death in May 2023 in the Bahawalpur case.
In light of the Feb. 20 acquittal in Bahawalnagar, Rakha hopes the Lahore High Court will hear Masih’s appeal of the death sentence and set aside that conviction.
The advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom International has supported Rakha in defending Masih against the charges.
Pakistan is No. 7 on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
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