#HangAsia trends as Pakistan decides today whether to hang Asia Bibi for blasphemy

Michael Nugent

Asia Noreen Bibi, a Christian mother from Pakistan, will find out today whether she will be hanged, after seven years in prison following a farcical blasphemy conviction. And two Pakistani politicians who questioned her sentence have been murdered: the governor of Punjab Salman Taseer, killed by his own bodyguard, and Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, who predicted his death.

Today, as Asia Bibi’s final appeal will be heard, the hashtag #HangAsia is trending in Pakistan. Three twitter users have even changed their twitter usernames to #HangAsia. Please counter this sickening trend by tweeting today with the hashtag #SaveAsiaBibi

Whatever the verdict of today’s appeal, Asia Bibi needs the support of the outside world more than she ever did. International pressure can make the difference in cases like this. So please sign and share the following petition, organised by Michael Sherlock of Human Rights for Atheists, Agnostics and Secularists. 

https://www.change.org/p/united-nations-urgent-save-asia-bibi-from-imminent-execution-for-blasphemy-in-pakistan-sign-share

You can read more details of the case here:
http://www.michaelnugent.com/2016/10/13/save-asia-bibi/

Michael Nugent

Update: Today’s appeal of Asia Bibi’s death sentence has been adjourned, after a judge withdrew because he had been involved in a related case. The judge said he had overseen the appeal hearing of Mumtaz Qadri, who was convicted of murdering the Governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer, who had campaigned for Asia Bibi to be released.

Please continue to campaign for the release of Asia Bibi.

Jellybaby1

I don't use Twitter. In these cases one feels helpless, but I will pray for her of course.

recedite

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I don't use Twitter. In these cases one feels helpless.

You could sign the petition. The link was provided. I'm not sure how effective those internet petitions are, but its better than nothing.

Akrasia

And share the link with your friends.

Hanging this woman because of an alleged blasphemy crime is a crime against humanity as well as an awful personal tragedy for this poor woman.

Anyone who is in prison anywhere in the world because they are accused of blasphemy needs to be released immediately. How anyone could think that an all powerful god needs humans to torture, murder and imprison each other in order to protect it from being offended is beyond me.

The Irish constitution needs to be amended to remove any reference to blasphemy. The fact that Ireland has a law against Blasphemy is used by Pakistan and other fundamentalist islamic nations to support their own blasphemy laws.

brian_t

recedite wrote: »

I'm not sure how effective those internet petitions are, but its better than nothing.

Jellybaby wasn't doing nothing.

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I will pray for her of course.

Thinkingaboutit

Akrasia wrote: »

And share the link with your friends.

Hanging this woman because of an alleged blasphemy crime is a crime against humanity as well as an awful personal tragedy for this poor woman.

Anyone who is in prison anywhere in the world because they are accused of blasphemy needs to be released immediately. How anyone could think that an all powerful god needs humans to torture, murder and imprison each other in order to protect it from being offended is beyond me.

The Irish constitution needs to be amended to remove any reference to blasphemy. The fact that Ireland has a law against Blasphemy is used by Pakistan and other fundamentalist islamic nations to support their own blasphemy laws.

It was notable that the Saudis and others thought the Irish blasphemy law was a very good thing. They can say they are just like a western liberal democracy.

I suspect the judge didn't want to be murdered.

This persecution of other opinions will just make it all the harder to lift the people of Pakistan out of poverty. Who would want to invest where death could result from a single oversight?

I will offer my poor prayers for Asia Bibi and also that Pakistan will scrap the blasphemy laws (which Ireland needs to do too).

#SaveAsiaBibi