FAISALABAD, Pakistan — A Pakistani Christian has won a religious-persecution award after spending eight years in prison on contested charges that he damaged a sign containing verses from the Quran. The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) honored Ranjha Masih, still serving his life sentence, with the newly established Stephen Endowment award in recognition of Masih’s “steadfastness in maintaining his Christian beliefs.”
Masih was unable to accept the award in person at the ISHR annual conference in Frankfurt, Germany, May 6. The prizewinner remained behind bars thousands of miles away in Faisalabad Central Jail, seemingly forgotten by Pakistan’s legal system. Three years after filing an appeal before the provincial high court, the Christian has not been given a hearing.
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