To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE
While Still Imprisoned for Her Faith, Asia Bibi Has Been Nominated for the EU's Prestigious 'Sakharov Prize'"Supposedly her final appeal hearing on October 13, 2016, was meant to wind up the most high profile case of the country, however, it was delayed as one of the judges refused to be a part of the three member bench that was to hear the case." (Pakistan)— [ASSISTNews.net] Pakistan's most famous Christian prisoner, Asia Bibi, has been nominated for the European Union's high-status award, the Sakharov Prize. (Photo: Asia Bibi/via ANS) Ms. Bibi, a mother-of-five, who is currently behind the bars waiting for a hearing of her appeal against capital punishment, was nominated by a group of European legislators. According to Madeeha Bakhsh, writing for Christians in Pakistan (christiansinpakistan.com), "Asia has been nominated for 'Freedom of Thought' by the legislators who form an influential group European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR). This European Conservatives and Reformists Group is the third largest group in the European Parliament," she wrote. "The European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), nominated Asia Bibi late on Wednesday, September 13." Peter van Dalen, a Dutch European parliamentarian and member of ECR's faction, ChristenUnion-SGP, said: "Her case is a symbol for others hurt in their freedom of expression and especially freedom of religion. It is good that my colleagues in the ECR and I continue to defend the rights of [Asia] Bibi and many others." Members of the entire European Parliament will soon be casting their votes in favor of their favorite candidate. "If a majority casts [their] votes in favor of Asia Bibi; she could win the €50,000 ($59,670 USD) award for the Sakharov Prize, which is considered Europe's most prestigious human rights award," said Madeeha Bakhsh. "This award is named after Andrei Sakharov, a scientist and dissident hailing from the Soviet era." Sakharov died on December 14, 1989, and the award ceremony will be held in Strasbourg, France, on December 10. Asia Bibi, a berry picker, was accused of committing blasphemy by her co-workers back in 2009. Later on, in 2010, a court in the Punjab district of Nankana found her guilty and she was sentenced to death by hanging, a verdict later challenged and upheld by a two-member bench of Lahore High Court in 2014. (Photo: Asia Bibi's husband and family/via ANS) Her appeal case is currently pending with the Supreme Court of Pakistan. "Supposedly her final appeal hearing on October 13, 2016, was meant to wind up the most high profile case of the country, however, it was delayed as one of the judges refused to be a part of the three member bench that was to hear the case," added Bakhsh. She said that on the date of the hearing, Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rehman, one of the three judges due to hear Asia Bibi's appeal case, suddenly withdrew saying, "I was a part of the bench that was hearing the case of Salmaan Taseer, and this case is related to that." (Photo: Asia Bibi meeting with Salmaan Taseer/via ANS) The judge was referring to the case of the then governor of Punjab, who was assassinated on January 4, 2011, at the Kohsar Market in Islamabad by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, who disagreed with Taseer's opposition to Pakistan's blasphemy law and his support for Asia Bibi. Qadri was later sentenced to death by a Pakistani Anti-Terrorist court at Islamabad for murdering Taseer, and was executed on February 29, 2016. Consequently, the hearing was adjourned and Ms. Bibi is still on death row in her lonely prison cell. Note: Christians in Pakistan is a non-profit organization and a leading source of news related to Pakistani Christians. They can be contacted by e-mail at: ChristiansinPak@gmail.com
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News Trump Under Fire for Endorsing the Bible, Urging Americans to Pray Speaker Johnson Announces He'll Invite Netanyahu to Address Congress Federal Appeals Court Rules Pennsylvania Must Only Count Mail Ballots With Dates, Signatures President Trump to Join Wake Honoring Slain NYPD Officer, While Biden Attends Fundraiser Elon Musk to Pay Embattled Doctor's Legal Fees after Speaking Out against COVID Lockdowns Safety of Women Hangs in Balance after Oral Arguments on Abortion Pill Regulation New Federal Gun Grab Law Would Criminalize Shooting Ranges, and Even Private Security Treasury Sec. Yellen: Biden Has NO Plan to Save Social Security Chick-fil-A Abandons Long-Held 'No Antibiotics' Pledge on Chicken The War in Myanmar: Karenni Resistance Fighters Ask for Prayer and Practical Help The World Is Facing a Major Population Crisis by 2075 If Birth Rates Keep Falling FDA Admits COVID Vaccines Cause Seizures in Toddlers Kamala Harris Won't Disclose Why Biden Campaign Is Active on TikTok Despite Security Worries Search the Articles Archives |
All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.
Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.
Home | Store | Subscribe | Facebook | Article Archive |