Pakistani Christian girl in blasphemy case deemed a minor
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 28 August 2012 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistani Christian girl in blasphemy case deemed a minor, 28 August 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5040b01d30.html [accessed 4 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
August 28, 2012
A family rides past the locked house of a Christian girl accused of blasphemy, on the outskirts of Islamabad. Reuters
An official medical review of a Pakistani Christian girl accused of desecrating the Koran has determined that the girl is a minor.
Police arrested the girl in Islamabad on August 16.
An angry mob had accused her of burning papers containing verses from the Koran.
On August 28, her lawyer, Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, said a report by a medical board investigating the age and mental state of the girl determined she was 14 years old.
He said the board determined her mental state did not correspond to her age.
It was not clear whether that meant she was mentally impaired.
The finding means the girl will be tried in the juvenile court system, where defendants face lighter sentences.
Her case is highly contentious in Pakistan, where blasphemy can be punished with life in prison or even death.
Based on reporting by AP and BBC Urdu
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
