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CHANGING LAWS
In March of 2014 the Pakistani English language newspaper, “The Nation”, reported 68% of Pakistanis believe the blasphemy laws should be repealed. The major secular parties, such as the Pakistan People’s Party, have placed amending the laws on their agenda but have made little progress. When Punjab Governor Sulemam Daseer, and Religious Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti suggested amending the law in 2011 they were both assassinated. Bowing to the pressure of western governments Pakistan has instituted a moratorium on executions and the same governments are urging repeal.
Several non-governmental organizations are encouraging repeal including:
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Human Rights Commission of Pakistan |
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National Commission for Justice & Peace |
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Christian Solidarity Worldwide |
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Amnesty International |
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Christian Freedom International |
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Human Rights Watch |
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Lawyers Rights Watch Canada |
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International Crisis Group |
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Aid to Church in Need |
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Engage |
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Life for All in Pakistan |
While pressure is being applied to repeal the blasphemy laws by many organizations, little effort has been placed on charging those who bring false charges of blasphemy to discourage this practice. False charges are the source of the vast majority of cases. It may also be possible to amend §295C to remove terms with non-specific definitions that allow too much judicial interpretation to find guilt. “Save the Persecuted” will work to modify the laws and to establish more robust punishment for false accusations.
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