Asia Bibi is a Christian woman, imprisoned since 2010 for blasphemy against the Islamic prophet Muhammad in Pakistan, something she denies.
She has been sentenced to death but has a hearing which could change that decision. However, the hearing has been postponed because one of the three justices refused to hear her case.
The Cross Party Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Scotland have now written to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, to ask him to stop the delay of her hearing.
The group said in a letter: “Ms Bibi has since been waiting for the Supreme Court to fix a date for hearing her case. Can we urge you to please make sure that the court schedules a hearing date as soon as possible?”
John Mason, the MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, is a Christian and the Convenor of the group.
He told Premier: “Some Pakistani government ministers and court lawyers have tried to deal with this [persecution in Pakistan] but actually one or two of them have been executed over the years, just because they stood up for a minority, i.e. for the Christians there.
“So, it’s not easy, I accept, for the government and the courts but if things are going to improve in any country the courts and government have to take a firm line.”
Speaking on whether the letter will help he said: “I think we have experienced in the past that if there’s international people speaking…
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