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Police 'torture' boy and mother accused of burning Quran

London-based charity calls detention 'another example of Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws'
Police 'torture' boy and mother accused of burning Quran
Published: November 01, 2016 06:24 AM GMT
Updated: November 01, 2016 06:25 AM GMT

A young boy and his mother said they were tortured while detained by police over blasphemy allegations in the Pakistani city of Quetta, said a Christian rights group.

Nine-year old Christian boy Inzam was accused of burning a copy of the Quran, which saw him being arrested and detained along with his mother, Shakil on Oct. 21, says the London-based charity British Pakistani Christians Association.

"The arrests were made without investigation on the testimony of a Muslim witness and was totally in accordance with the draconian blasphemy laws of Pakistan," said a report on the charity’s website.  

"A Muslim witness is given higher authority than non-Muslim testimonies under Shariah law; these are Islamic laws that determine Pakistani law," the report said.

After four days of lobbying from rights groups and politicians the young boy and her mother were released Oct. 25.

"The mother and child have expressed in no uncertain terms that they had been interrogated and suffered torture during their four day detainment," said the report. "However despite their treatment they both did not confess to the crime of blasphemy."

Police said they found no evidence that a copy of the Quran had been burnt, said the report.

Blasphemy against the Quran is punishable with life imprisonment in Pakistan. Church leaders have long charged that the laws are abused for personal gain and that religious extremists are furthering their agenda by abusing blasphemy laws.

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