Lawyers in Pakistan are investigating a report that up to 30 men tortured and gang-raped a young Christian man for refusing to convert to Islam.
The victim is seriously injured and unable to move, Release International’s partner in Pakistan has reported. However, according to the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) the police are keeping him locked up and have denied him medical treatment.
The police are also refusing to register the rape following a counter-claim made by his principal attacker – “a man of influence”, Release International has told Christian Today.
According to CLAAS, the Christian was invited to a game of cricket. A quarrel broke out and he was beaten up. Later that evening, the father of one of the Muslims asked the Christian over to his house.
Joseph Francis, the National Director of CLAAS, explained: “When he entered the drawing room, he found it filled with unknown people. They began to beat him severely. They threatened him with dire consequences if he did not accept Islam. After his refusal, they committed sodomy with him one by one for the whole night.”
Francis said that they later threw their victim out on the street unconscious.
CLAAS has visited the victim and his family. They believe the counter accusation that he stole money and a mobile phone is false. They say the charges were drawn up by the attacker, who has used his influence to put pressure on the authorities.
“We’re deeply concerned about the growing number of attacks against Christians in Pakistan,” says Release International’s CEO Andy Dipper. “We are receiving reports of rape, abductions and forced conversion. Pakistan is becoming an increasingly difficult place for Christians to live.
“To make matters worse, the government is pushing through a law which could impose the death penalty for any Muslim man who converts to Christianity – and life imprisonment for any woman."
"As well as being an attack on the basic human rights of Muslims, this will also make things harder for Christians who preach the gospel," concluded Dipper.
Release International is appealing to Christians to pray for the victim and for the lawyers at CLAAS, who are dealing with a growing number of atrocities against Christians.
Have your say on this article
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 13:54 (GMT)
As for the comments leveled at christianity JESUS MESSIAH neither killed or urged others to kill! Violence done by so called christians is done in spite or against the teachings of its founder? Rather JESUS who is the CHRIST gave HIS own life that you and I might have eternal life. The new testament is a book of Hope and great Love.
I may be wrong? I ask that someone can tell me, is there not a 109 verses that incite violence against non-muslims in the koran?
cheers
Gaz boggle, IoM UK
Added: Saturday, January 19, 2008, 17:46 (GMT)
If we see the news of the last ten years, every single statement of brainwashed islamists that Islam is a tolerant and peaceful religion can EASILY be refuted.
Only a minority? Please remember that wahhabism is a sect, is violence-loving and hates women. This sect is actually the official "religion" of Saudiarabia, and there they have billions and billions of petro- AND hajj-dollars to spent on training jihadis, brainwashing young hate-preachers of different countries with scholarships, building huge mosques and madrasas for these preachers in their respective country, buying weapons, selling lies on books, websites and propaganda. Just like other extremists, only with a gigantic difference: Stalin, Mao and Hitler never had endless financial resources.
Only a minority? Ten years ago there were only 2 or 3 countries with sharia law, now there are Sudan, Afghanistan, Nordnigeria, Nordmalaysia, Aceh and other provinces in Indonesia, several regions in Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, South-Thailand, Algeria, dangerous attenpts in Bangladesh, Westindia, Zanzibar, etc.
Only a minority? Violent acts are increasing everywhere, millions of muslimas MUST wear a jilbab, hijab or some other unislamic shred (and some dare to say there is no compulsion in Islam?), female circumcision is spreading, muta'a too, temples and churches are burned and destroyed, non-Muslims discriminated, beaten, killed. And the mayority only closes the eyes, thinks the fatalistic "this is Allah's will" and sleeps maybe with a smile, knowing that this militant minority is growing very fast, is unstoppable and will, inshallah, fight the hated infidels, as stated in Sura 3:119, 4:89, 4:105, 5:34, 5:51 and 8:40. But this is not Islam, this is Wahhabism, that counts MILLIONS of followers and is destroying moderate Islam everywhere.
Only a minority? Alone 80 Million Hindus were massacred during the raids against India. The ethymology of the word Hindukush is proof for this genocide. Not to mention other populations that were exterminated, force-converted since the very beginning of the expansion of Islam.
@ Mr Conley: a short look at the short history of the atheists will show you that they were/are more malignant and bloodier than the Inquisitors and Conquistadores. Simply read the history of communism, nazism, fascism, capitalism, eugenics, etc., counting hundreds of millions dead. And this alone in the 20th century...
Edo , Singapore
Added: Wednesday, January 16, 2008, 5:42 (GMT)
This is exactly the kind of virulant propagandist lie that I would expect from a Hitler or Stalin type who was trying to recruit others to his racist viewpoint. Even if it IS true, how many people has Christianity tortured and killed in trying to convert others to it's tenants History tells us at least 150,000,000, starting from when Christianity became the religion of Rome, going through the crusades and inquisition, and the conquest of the New World, and right up through to the first part of the 21st Century. You hypocrites. And you wonder why people like me get so disgusted with religion that we walk away as Atheists. Doesn't your Jesus tell you in the New Testament that only those without sin may cast the first stone? You seem to have forgotten that and put yourself in your God's shows. If I am wrong about not believing in God and there actually is one, I can rest assured that I'll be shaking your han and patting you on the back as you come waltzing on into hell yourself!
Wallace Conley, Schenectady, New York
Added: Monday, January 14, 2008, 19:15 (GMT)
well,one thing i can say after reading this disgusting act by our muslims brothers......that they are not Muslims.....these guyz are not related to any religion,they are self-religious..............these ppl are like "BLACJ SHEEPS" in muslim communty....
Islam doesn't teaches us to convert non-muslim to muslim forcely......In Quran..God Says: La-Iqraahaa-Fi-deen......no one can force non-muslims to accept Islam...
I think these ppl should be badly punished bY Govt....
M.M.IQBAL, Pakistam
Added: Saturday, December 22, 2007, 17:57 (GMT)
This really IS "the pot calling the kettle black", since Christians have been guilty of doing things like that in the past. I can recall at 20 famous cases of that right now ranging from the Encomienda that happened right here in the Caribbean and Latin America centuries ago, to the Salem Witch trials that occured in the United States. Islam is not not particularly unique with its brutishness. What I really think this is saying is that religion on a whole has made its contribution to the distruction of mankind, even though it gives so many people hope.
Renee, Jamaica
Added: Monday, December 10, 2007, 15:10 (GMT)
After reading this article and all the comments I would not say that Islam is a religion of voilence. Being a Pakistan and on other side being a christian I know how difficult it is to survive in Pakistan and earn a livlihood. It has nothing to do with the religion its mearly a question of awareness among people. We are living in 21st century but if you go to Pk , in some areas you will not believe that ppl are still living in 17th or 18th century.
I would say to everybody that please calm down and think about it. in order to get rid of these sort of cases first we need to help the ppl of Pk to get educated and it should not only mearly be a lip service but a proper step toward it.
As long as ppl are illetrate and uneducated, we will going to see all these small crimes again and again.
On other hand i agree that there are ppl living in Pk who use the name of Islam to make their negative desires comes true. There were lot of occassions where I was also been told to convert or.... but these ppl are just in minority. Let not allow the religion to come in between. We cant afford another bloody fight in the name of religion.
Peace be with the ppl who read this and will spread this to other ignorent and narrow minded ppl who base there openion on just reading couple of articles in news and never tried by themselves to go there physically and see by themselves.
Raees, Warsaw, Poland
Added: Friday, December 7, 2007, 12:08 (GMT)
Dear Sir
I never heared that in which area this ancident happened but the peopls preach for islam teachings may not have such a bad character, I donot knaow that what relations was in between that mulims and chrestian man, but keep it in mind that the christians in pakistan not in numbers of hundreds but they are in 100 thousands, this article have no justice in it, As there is a seaver punishment in Islam for sex relations and by sex relations they will punish thereself not the others because after adapting sex relations no one is Islamic beloved one, no one will like to talk with him, because of his bad sexual character.
Sardar Khan, pakistan
Added: Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 2:53 (BST)
It is not fair to generalize that unaccptable action and relate it to Islam. it is forbidden in islam to force anyone to embarce Islam and that is mention in Quran.
Those people who did that are not true muslims may be they used the name of Islam to achieve their dirty desires(if that story is true). In Islam we must respect all people regardless their colors, religions..etc. it is enough that u r a human being to be respected. those people who said that islam calls us to kill unbelievers just because they are not muslims, they are wrong and that is a clear evidence that they dont know islam. islam is a religion of peace no matter what so called misguided muslims do.
fatima, jeddah
Added: Friday, October 5, 2007, 4:00 (BST)
We are living in twenty-first century, period of globalization and integration, a moment of acceptance. It is saddening to see some people utterly and religeously illiterate acting to impose their will by force and intimidation. I want to aknowledge that muslims have established in countries where christians make up 99% of the population but these muslims have never been intimated or forced to convert to christianity.It is time for action against those countries and governments that encourage or do nothing to curb down such animalities.I am calling on U.S., France, England, Germany, and all secular countries to start sending signals to those retarded.
Jean , Chicago, U.S.A
Added: Sunday, September 2, 2007, 12:45 (BST)
I'm puzzled by the way people are so convinced islam is a "violent religion" cause indeed only people who have no clue about or little are saying that it's a violent religion. To me islam doesn't need to be defended cause if u've got common sense and knowledge about it you'll understand... whenever you look at the news you think you're being told what's going on but it's merely the interpretation of the people who are actually telling you what's going on... Pakistan is a torn country for every human being living there no matter what their faith or origin is.I disagree with violence as well as i disagree with forcing something onto people cause at the end of the day we are all responsible for our own actions. Jihad doesn't mean "holy war" cause there is no such thing as bloodshed in the name of god,(appart for the time of the Prophet (pbuh) as they wanted to kill him as they tried to kill Jesus) the beauty of arabic mean several meaning for one word, jihad is also the effort that u have to make in order to keep your love for this world reasonable, the struggle with yourself and among non believers, being steadfast in what you believe in and doing good to your other felow beings and not only muslims. suicide is condemned by islam, tyranny is condemned by islam, thinking that you're superior to others by vanity is condemned by islam all these trait that you see among some muslim(as well as non-muslims) reflect their own personality and doesn't reflect a community of more than 1bn people. Every religion have their own sects and division, christiannity, judaism and islam as well. Sheila, my sister there is nothing we can say that is gonna change what is happening to the world,cause they are part of the signs of the end of the world, we can only be good between us and others. To me every life as the same value and no one has to decide who lives or die except the Creator, neither a terrorist, nor a judge, nor another human, people are gonna tell me what about the Prophet (pbuh)? i'll say read his story maybe you will understand, the Talion has been given to us but not as a mean but more for us to understand that hartred genrates hartred, at the end of the day we all come from the same 2 people not matter if we're black, white, in between, muslim, christian, hindu or buddhist, but you will have to experience you're last moment in its own time, and i'm talking about the all of mankind, to finally understand.Look at the story of humanity to understand that it's not a religion to blame but the human being himself. Cause the religion stays the way what it is at all time, it's our understanding of it and our personnality that makes it look wrong.
doris, UK
Added: Tuesday, August 28, 2007, 18:13 (BST)
This story reminds me of the kinds of barbaric things that went on in the south (in the U.S) for so many years, where the K.K.K., holding to christianity, committed horrible atrocities against blacks. At some point there had to be an outcry, and whites who spoke out against what was considered culturally acceptable behavior suffered alot. At that time, police were often corrupt as well, taking part in the crimes, but the point is that even though it costs alot, there came a point where some whites were unwilling to turn a blind eye anymore and really sacrificed alot to stand for what was right. I think muslims who are true muslims should likewise be willing to lay down their lives in these countries to cry out against what is wrong and evil, whether the vicitim is muslim or chrisitan. This over many years and much blood shed brought about change in the south. Even though I am christian, I feel this way about muslims. I would be willing to lay down my life for a muslim brother who was getting beat because it is wrong, and this is what God would call me to do.
Jeannette , York, SC
Added: Monday, August 27, 2007, 15:04 (BST)
I want make this very clear and Loud to all Muslims that I agree to this article as I myself am the victim of such attack. But there soon be a change when JESUS RETURNS.
Leon Michelengo, Pindi Gheb
Added: Wednesday, August 22, 2007, 11:30 (BST)
I find it very odd that virtually no details are provided in this story. The city where the alleged crime took place isn't identified, and no dates are mentioned.
True, there is some discrimination against Christians in Pakistan. However, life is difficult in Pakistan for both Christians and non-Christians. Sexual violence and abduction are common, relative to the West, and affect POOR people of all religions, not just Christians.
I live here. I spend most of my time with Pakistani people; Christians and Muslims, and to me they all have one thing in common, they are ALL good people.
With regard to the comments below about Islam being violent and expansionist; give me a break. Who are the people currently occupying Afghanistan & Iraq, sponsoring the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel, and propping up undemocratic dictatorial regimes in PAKISTAN, EGYPT, JORDAN & SAUDI ARABIA? The good ol' U.S of A.
Who is responsible for the deaths of MILLIONS of innocent people across the world over the past 4 decades, in Vietnam, Nicaragua, Chile, Cambodia? The U.S of A. 2 MILLION Vietnamese murdered at the hands of the US.
Really. The ignorance and arrogance of you people is disgusting.
And how about the latest "peace plan" for the Middle East? US$30 BILLION in weapons to the various parties. Sick...
God help you all; you should hang your heads in shame.
SHane Brady, Islamabad, Pakistan
Added: Wednesday, August 22, 2007, 3:10 (BST)
Shelia, your comments of equating Islam as peaceful as Christianity, Judaism, and Hindu are right out of the pages from the propaganda manual for all of the aplogetics for muslims here in America. The way that you stated what you just did, I would question your true intent. This country, the western part of europe, and any other place on earth that wants peace had better wake up to people like you. If you are not really some "Mo" using a false identity here and actually are that naive, then you would be one of the first that become a "dhimi" and subjugated into a second class member of society. That is IF they let you live.
Dave, Farmington Hills, Michigan
Added: Monday, August 6, 2007, 7:25 (BST)
James Connely, nice try there, excusing the actions of the members of a religion you want to appease and excuse by using the actions of an extremely small minority of another religion. Fact is, numb-nuts, that it's not Christianity or Judaism or Budhhism or Hinduism or even athiesm that's making this planet fearful for all of us. It's Islam. Islam and Muslims are the only ones blowing the [Expletive] out of innocent people all over the world, threatening infidels and "non-believers" in their death cult, terrorizing the entire planet. What other religion offers rewards for the murder of un-believers? What other religion celebrates the deaths of others and encourages their followers to kill in the name of their god? In what other countries (besides Islamic) do you find its citizens burning other countries' flags and calling for the deaths of their people?
Karen, Lexinfton, KY, USA
Added: Friday, August 3, 2007, 23:01 (BST)
Interesting that you highlight this story. It is a subliminal attack on Islam (I am not a Muslim) and a propoganda tool. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black; The Roman Catholic Church (I am not a catholic) is presently in the quagmire of calculating monetary compensation running to billions of dollars in the US and a high but lesser sum in the UK and other countries, to victims of paedophile priests who raped, tortured and abused young boys and girls; there are notorious cases of Bishops being father's in more ways than one!! And evangelical modern day Elmer Gantry's across the continent and in the US enrich themselves with not a vestige of concious - but more seriously, are caught up in drug taking, homosexuality practices they condemn from the pulpits, platforms and their media broadcasts.
James Connolly, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
Added: Thursday, August 2, 2007, 21:00 (BST)
Sheila..
Well no one here is blaming Islam for the things being done... as such things rarely happen at places like UAE,Bahrain...etc... other than Pakistan..
When u said that every religion has a minority of fools...
have you heard any terriorist names john or joseph... or any other religion ??
why are they all muslims ?? .. does islam teach u all to kill innocent people?? Jihad... etc ??
I would say that Islam is a religion with majority of fools..
Aakar, India
Added: Wednesday, July 18, 2007, 0:01 (BST)
Islam is the most violent religion., it must be stopped.
Harsha, Hyderabad
Added: Thursday, July 12, 2007, 5:24 (BST)
Sheila g.
This is not the first time it happened in pakistan that a christan has been raped and beaten. I can give you hundreds of stories like this one. Pakistan was supposed to be a free country for all religions but we all know what's happening there. Christian girls are getting raped, Christian guys are getting killed, churches are getting burnt down. Christians are getting arrested just because they are Christian and because they refuse to become muslims. i have so many of these stories.
Adil, Toronto, Canada
Added: Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 14:12 (BST)
People are making comments against billions of Muslims worldwide, why can't you understand that the actions of a handful of idiots does not make all Muslims the same. Quit the islamophobic comments, and for once in your lives try to do somebakground reading before slashing Muslims. Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance, just like Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism etc, and Islam also has its minority of fools, just like Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism etc.
Sheila, UK
Added: Sunday, July 8, 2007, 16:28 (BST)
I am an American Christian working in Pakistan. (The two-year contract was simply too good to pass up.) I can attest to the horrid and dispicable conditions in which Pakistani Christians live. Our church is used by the city as a trash dump. Christians are routinely accused of blasphemy (of Islam's prophet) with no legal recourse as a Muslim's word carries more weight here than a Christian's. Christian women are often abducted and raped without legal recourse - the police have even been in on these crimes. Christians can be useful in this country only if money can be made from them or if they are educators or engineers whom the state can use. I am counting the days for my contract to end so I can get out.
Don Goss, Lahore, Pakistan
Added: Sunday, July 1, 2007, 17:16 (BST)
Just goes to show the foolishness of Islam, and why Christianity is the only genuine faith.
Vincnet, Norfolk
Added: Sunday, July 1, 2007, 16:45 (BST)
I thought homosexual activity was not allowed in Islam?!?!? Additionally, I thought it was punishable by death! At least in Iran, that shining beacon for Islamic run societies.
ldbandit, Toccoa, USA
Added: Sunday, July 1, 2007, 6:05 (BST)
Reading this, I can't help but pray for each of these men..................for God's absolute and perfect justice.
Michael, Portland, OR - USA
Added: Saturday, June 30, 2007, 21:33 (BST)
Doesn't that make the 30 or so Homosexuals? And isn't Homosexuality punishable with death in Islam? Or is it the reason that the recipient was a Christian, all those rules go out the window......
Islamisbad, Los Angeles, California
Added: Saturday, June 30, 2007, 19:33 (BST)
Islamic expansion must be stopped at all cost.
seth, USA
Added: Saturday, June 30, 2007, 7:24 (BST)
I am horrified and shocked at this "peaceful" religious men. Are these the same men that condemn homosexuality. Seems like they are endorsing hypocrisy. I had a feeling that they protest too much with apologies to the Bard.
Griffin, Staten Island, NY
Added: Friday, June 29, 2007, 18:00 (BST)
this extreme story shoud be reported in the mainline news
jill belle, cornwall
