This information supplied by Brother Nadeem…
On July 1, 2024, the anti-terrorism court in Sahiwal, Pakistan, sentenced Ehsan Masih, a 22-year-old Christian youth, to death for sharing controversial content on social media. The controversial content involved information that had led to the riots in Jaranwala city on August 16th of 2023, in which 21 Church and 280 Christian houses were set ablaze by a local Muslim mob. In contrast to the death sentence handed to Ehsan Masih, those who had been arrested in connection of vandalizing and burning the churches and Christian houses have been released.
According to the first investigation report (FIR) launched by local police, the case number 700/2023 was registered at the Dera Rahim police station in Sahiwal on August 19, 2023.
The Jaranwala incident occurred on August 16, when images of torn pages from the holy book of Muslims began circulating on social media. These images were shared by Ehsan Masih on his TikTok account, without realizing the consequences of sharing such content. The images of these pages are also in possession of the investigating officer in Jaranwala, serving as evidence that the boy did not commit any blasphemy intentionally but rather, in his ignorance, shared the images as information. Upon investigation, no solid evidence was found against him. According to handwriting experts, the blasphemous writing that was shared from the boy’s account was not written by him. After the forensic analysis of his mobile phone, it was proven that the single-page blasphemous content was not generated on this boy’s mobile device or any other device belonging to him. The allegations against Ehsan Masih are false, and he has been wrongly implicated in this matter.
On July 1, 2024 the Sahiwal anti-terrorism court convicted Ehsan Masih of blasphemy following mob attacks on Christan community in August 2023. The special judge Ziauddin Khan of the Sahiwal court pronounced the following punishments to Ehsan Masih:
Under blasphemy laws section 295A, 22 years of imprisonment and a fine of 1 million rupees (around Canadian $50000) while delivering the verdict. Under Section 295A, 7 years of imprisonment under the Electronic Crimes Act, and under Section 7(1) ATA 5 year of imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 in rupees.
The final verdict stated that Ehsan was sentenced to death and a fine in money rupees 500,000 in the local currency under Section 295C.
A local expert in blasphemy cases, the attorney Lazar Allah Rakah said, “The Anti-Terrorism Court in Sahiwal, under pressure, disregarded all evidence and witnesses, and delivered an incorrect verdict, which does not meet the standards of justice.” There is chance for an appeal to the higher court. Pakistani minorities are ensnared in false cases of blasphemy due to personal grievances. The filing of fabricated cases continues unabated, and the government appears powerless to protect the innocent. This year, even the Federal Minster for Defense of Pakistan has admitted in the national assembly that minorities in Pakistan are not safe.
Please extend your prayers for Ehsan and for all the Christians who suffer in Pakhistan and other oppressive areas of Africa and the Middle East. Remeber that Christians are by many times the most discriminated against and the most persecuted group on the planet — this has been the case for decades, despite the unwillingness of Western Media to report on it.
May God Protect those who suffer while being faithful.
