Saturday, August 22, 2015

Pakistan - Three Christians arrested under terrorism charges for using the word “Prophet” for a pastor

Three Christians arrested over alleged blasphemy accusations.
According to media, reports three Christians were booked by police under terrorism laws. The police officials have stated on Thursday, August 20 that these three Christians were detained because they used the word “prophet” to describe a dead pastor on a poster.
Moreover, a local police officer Shahid Tanveer said, “We have arrested three men, including the son of the priest, because they used the word prophet for the late Fazal Masih.”
In keeping with details, these three Christians were detained by the police in Gujrat after posters marking the 20th death anniversary of Pastor Fazal Masih were spotted with the Urdu word “Nabi” translation for “Prophet” used for him.
According to the police station authorities, seeing the gravity of the matter, local Muslim clerics along with leader of the Christian community were summoned to the police station to seek advice from them on the matter.
However, the Christians who were organising the ceremony of death anniversary finally apologised and begged for forgiveness. The Christian organisers clarified that they used the used “Prophet” for Pastor Fazal Masih in order to celebrate his precious services to the Christian community.
The Muslim clerics, on the other hand, sternly refused to accept the apology and pressed charges against the three detained Christians. Subsequently, an FIR was registered including anti-terrorism charges against the organiser and three other Christians who are currently in police custody. Even as 11 other Christians who have been named have not been arrested.
The police is yet to clarify the reasons as to why terrorism charges were brought, against the Christians although the law is regularly used in various high profile cases seeing that it ensures an access to a speedy trial process.
- See more at: http://www.christiansinpakistan.com/gujrat-three-christians-arrested-under-terrorism-charges-for-using-the-word-prophet-for-a-pastor/#sthash.YDRxWDIZ.dpuf

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