Pakistan: Christians welcome guilty verdict for man accused of murdering brothers

The Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) has welcomed a court's guilty verdict for the man accused of murdering Christian brothers Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel.

The brothers were gunned down by Ahmed outside a court in Faisalabad last July as they attended a hearing over blasphemy accusations made against them. They were shot and killed in broad daylight, despite having a police escort.

Ahmed was first brought before the Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad accused of the murders last September.

Final arguments were made by the prosecution and defence council in the court on last Friday before a final hearing on Monday in which judge Raja Muhammad Arshad found Ahmed guilty of murdering the brothers.

The judge sentenced Ahmed to death by hanging.

CLAAS, which provides free legal and practical support to Christians in Pakistan, has always maintained that the charges against the brothers were false.

It said the verdict was a "landmark ruling" because it is the first case related to blasphemy charges to have been heard "properly on its own merit" by a court, and where the accused "has been punished according to the law".

The charity said it was satisfied with the final judgement and said that if the courts were to hear all blasphemy cases "with the same thoroughness and integrity", there would be fewer Christians imprisoned as a result of spurious blasphemy charges.

"Indeed, many of those already imprisoned for such charges could be freed if their cases were to be re-examined," the charity said.

In a joint statement, CLAAS UK Coordinator Nasir Saeed and CLAAS director in Pakistan Joseph Francis said: “We are extremely pleased for the families of Rashid and Sajid. Although this ruling cannot bring them back, it does show that justice can still be done in Pakistan today.

“There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel were falsely implicated, as is so often the case when blasphemy charges are brought against Christians.

“We hope and pray that this verdict marks a turning point. It will no doubt be an enormous encouragement to all those falsely accused of blasphemy.

“There are many more Christians awaiting trial for blasphemy. We are praying for more fair trials and more victories in the future.”