Photograph by Crystalina
A British man has been sentenced to death in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi after being convicted of blasphemy.
Mohammad Asghar, 65, was arrested in 2010 after reportedly writing letters to a number of people, including police officers, claiming to be a prophet, which some believed was insulting to Islam, Pakistan’s state religion to which 97% of the population subscribe.
Asghar has a history of mental illness, for which his lawyer argued for leniency in his sentencing, but this claim was rejected by a medical panel.
His lawyer told the BBC‘s Saba Eitizaz that she was forcibly ejected from the courtroom, with the proceedings carried out behind closed doors. She has said that she will appeal the decision.
Whilst Asghar has been sentenced to death by the court, Pakistan has had a moratorium on executions since 2008, and so he is unlikely to be killed by the state.
This case is the most recent in a number of recent trials for blasphemy in Pakistan which have prompted international concern as they are frequently abused to settle personal scores and target minority groups.