Special Bulletin: 31 August 2001
25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL

Telephone/Fax (020) 7404 3126
email website www.secularism.org.uk
Executive Director: Keith Porteous Wood, FCCA

This is a special bulletin containing an urgent - unfortunately, literally life or death - issue concerning Dr Shaikh who has been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan.

 

DR YOUNIS SHAIKH: INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY AS PAKISTAN HANDS DOWN 'BLASPHEMY' DEATH SENTENCE TO PEACE ACTIVIST

A Call To Action!

Dr Younis Shaikh has been convicted in Pakistan of blasphemy, and sentenced to death. The following is based on information received today from the International Humanist & Ethical Union.

What has Dr Shaikh been convicted of? He is alleged to have said that neither Prophet Mohammed nor his parents could logically have been Muslims before Islam was revealed to the Prophet. The other charges of blasphemy against Dr. Shaikh’s remarks - supposedly made in the course of a routine class-room lecture he gave in a Medical college where he was a lecturer in Physiology - are described by the IHEU as equally ridiculous and malicious.

Throughout the open court trial, an intimidating group of fundamentalist clergy made their presence felt to both the judge and the defence-such tactics are often ‘successful’ in lower courts in Pakistan.
None of those who complained to the police were eyewitnesses to the alleged offence: the complaint was lodged by leaders of the Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-i-Nabuwat (Committee for the Protection of the Finality of the Prophethood), a organisation that is known to have harassed and attacked non-orthodox Muslims in the past.

Human Rights activists closely monitoring the trial point out that one of the witnesses to the prosecution was completely discredited, as it was shown that he was not present in class on the day Dr. Shaikh supposedly made his “blasphemous remarks”. Unfortunately, even this made no difference to the judge.

While, so far, no one has been hanged for a blasphemy conviction in the country, hundreds of Pakistanis languish in jail after being accused of, or convicted of, blasphemy. Convicts are locked up in extremely small “death cells”, where prisoners can barely stand. Now an inmate of one such death cell, Dr. Shaikh is not even allowed to carry a pen with him, and those who do not belong to his immediate family cannot visit him any more, officially.

Two appeals have been filed on Dr. Shaikh's behalf, one by the family and another by Human Rights activists. Thankfully, Abid Hasan Manto, Pakistan's well-known and respected civil libertarian lawyer will argue Dr. Shaikh's case without charging any fees. 'It is my duty to defend Dr. Shaikh', he said.

Amnesty International is actively involved in working for Dr Shaikh, and a team of dedicated Human Rights activists are working hard to provide support for Dr. Shaikh in Pakistan, risking their own safety in the process. Protest demonstrations are being organised all over the world. Our colleagues in Pakistan need help and support, and this can only be done by intensifying our efforts internationally. There are hundreds who are victims of these laws and we need to help.

You will all sorts of useful information (including for campaigning) on IHEU's website www.iheu.org/Shaikh.

We also need you all to contact our own Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary [the NSS has done so itself already] to remind them of the urgency of the matter: (PTO)

Please write, but preferably fax:

Rt Hon Tony Blair, MP,
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AJ
( Fax no. 020 7925 0918 )

and

Rt Hon Jack Straw,
Foreign Secretary,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Downing Street
London SW1A 2AL
( Fax no. 020 7839 2417 )

We would be grateful if you were to, in your own words:

refer briefly to what has happened (they are already aware of the details).

make clear this is an abuse of Dr Shaikh’s human rights in terms of his freedom of expression, and that he has been resident in the UK.

note the considerable doubt as to whether Dr Shaikh has had a fair trial, Britain must not stand by and allow him to be executed or even incarcerated for life in deplorable conditions for having done nothing wrong.

point out that this issue had already been drawn to the Foreign Offices’s attention at the end of last year (in December) yet that there has been no discernable effect of whatever action has been taken by them, in London or by UK officials in Pakistan or elsewhere.

urge the Government to take a stand, not just for Dr Shaikh’s sake, but to send a signal from the international community that Pakistan cannot be allowed to drift towards ‘Taliban’ style justice.

insist, politely but firmly, that the UK urgently puts pressure on the Pakistani government to get the death sentence commuted, and to provide a safe haven and refuge to Dr. Shaikh. Say you support the Government’s ethical foreign policy, if the Government decides not to take such action, ask the Government to justify why not.

Supporters are asked to email IHEU if they can help in any way other than writing as requested above.

We also ask our Honorary Associates and other distinguished supporters to call as publicly as they can for the liberation of Dr. Shaikh and the repeal of Blasphemy laws in Pakistan (which victimise all religious minorities, specially Christians and Ahmadiyas).

Respected and influential newspapers and media all over the world have reported on Dr. Shaikh's case and about IHEU's campaign. These include the New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times UK, BBC, CNN.

Dr. Shaikh helped the poor and disadvantaged in his country when he could. Now it is our turn to come to his defence! Please let us not fail him. Can we do it? Yes, It has happened in the past that people have been allowed to leave their countries following an international outcry and diplomatic intervention. Let us add strength to the campaign, and also help repeal the Blasphemy law in Pakistan!

Please also try to come to the demonstration now being planned opposite the Pakistan High Commission 36 Lowndes Square London SW1 (Knightsbridge tube*) on Monday, 10 September 2001 (13.00 - 14.00 hrs) as part of the Campaign for Dr. Shaikh. Please also inform all your freethinking and other liberal contacts, to help swell the crowd.

We especially need liberal Muslims (or those from the Pakistani community) who are willing to speak.

*Please take exit on Sloane Street. Walk south along Sloane Street and take the first left into Harriet Walk, which leads to Lowndes Square, turn right and the Pakistan High Commission is located in the corner. For more details, send an e mail to IHEU.

Thank you for your help and support.

Keith Porteous Wood