ICC Note:
The British Pakistani Christian Association protested outside the Pakistan Embassy in London to demand the immediate release of Asia Bibi, a mother of five on death row for blasphemy.
6/15/2012 Pakistan (BPCA) Electro-pop band ooberfuse, with the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), took to the streets yesterday to protest against the unjust and inhumane treatment of Asia Bibi, mother of five, who awaits execution by hanging on Pakistan’s death row. Under Section 295c of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s penal code Bibi stands accused of blasphemy for refusing to convert to Islam in the face of violent pressures to recant her faith.
To mark the 14th June 2012, the third anniversary of Bibi’s arrest, a powerful pa system was set up opposite the Pakistani Embassy. As a delegation entered the Embassy to meet the High Commissioner’s appointee, Mr Raheel Tariq, protesters led by Wilson Chowdhry of the BPCA chanted ‘Free, free, Asia Bibi’. Once inside the delegation, including Mr Nazim Ghauri OBE of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, John Pontifex of Aid to the Church in Need, Stephen Anjum representing UK Pakistani Christians (who have fled their native Pakistan to avoid persecution) and Cherrie Anderson, front woman of ooberfuse, presented two petitions calling for Bibi’s release and a copy of Asia’s autobiography Blasphemy recently translated into English. As they said farewell to Mr Tariq on the Embassy steps the crowd sang along to ooberfuse’s freedom song Free Asia Bibi.
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