Asia Bibi is seeking asylum in France

Asia Bibi with French journalist Anne-Isabelle Tollet(Photo: François Thomas/Éditions du Rocher)

Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman freed from death row in 2018, has expressed her desire to move to France. 

Bibi and her family were granted asylum in Canada last year after being freed from prison for blasphemy following nearly a decade behind bars, most of it in solitary confinement.

But in an interview with French radio station RTL this week, Bibi revealed that she would like to move to France in order to work again with Anne-Isabelle Tollet, the French journalist who campaigned for her release and co-write her new book, Enfin Libre (Free At Last).

"My great desire is to live in France," said Bibi. 

"France is the country from where I received my new life... Anne-Isabelle is an angel for me," she said, adding, "Obviously I am enormously grateful to Canada". 

Bibi is currently in France to promote her book.

She said that she had no plans to meet President Emmanuel Macron but added, "obviously I would like the president to hear my request."

She said that the nature of her work with Tollet would be campaigning for the release of other people unfairly prisoned in Pakistan because of its blasphemy laws.