A Pakistani Christian woman (her name withheld for security reasons) who was accused of committing blasphemy last year in 2021, still waits justice behind the bars. Distraught and no hope at the end of the tunnel, she spends her days and nights hoping for a miracle release.
This woman was accused of insulting Islam in a Whatsapp conversation in July, 2021. She awaits her trial since then, as the judicial system seems to proceed at a snail’s pace, despite the fact that the charges of blasphemy were leveled against her quickly. Her first trial was expected to take place on May 25. However, little hope there may be for her but trials in blasphemy cases take years.
The despondent woman’s family tells the tale of the deplorable conditions she has been kept in. Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, this woman has been caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. If she remains in behind the bars, she’s forced to live in pathetic conditions. On the other hand, is she is set free, she won’t be able to lead a normal life owing to the religious fanaticism that won’t allow her to live. This fanaticism often manifests in the form of extrajudicial killing of the blasphemy accused along with others associated to the accused.
Moreover, her family is now fearful for their lives as well. As they pine away for their beloved behind the bars they have to be on the lookout for potential retaliation. “They keep her in a small cell and there is a separation barrier between prisoners and visitors. It is heartbreaking to see her locked up like that,” her youngest child told an international news agency.
