{"id":34681,"date":"2021-01-19T15:45:30","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T06:45:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=34681"},"modified":"2021-01-26T14:05:26","modified_gmt":"2021-01-26T05:05:26","slug":"vomk-report-139","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2021\/01\/19\/vomk-report-139\/","title":{"rendered":"PAKISTAN: THREE BOYS ACCUSED OF BLASPHEMY FOR ALLEGED QURAN BURNING"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34670″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Three Christian boys from Narowal, a city in the northeast of the Punjab province of Pakistan, were accused of blasphemy after allegedly burning pages of the Quran, the Islamic holy book, on Christmas Eve.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]According to Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the boys lit a bonfire for Christmas\u00a0<\/span><\/span>celebrations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>The village<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Kotli<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Muhammad\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Sadeeq<\/span><\/span>, is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a majority Muslim village<\/span><\/span>\u00a0with\u00a0<\/span><\/span>40 Christian families<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Immediately there were accusations that the boys were\u00a0<\/span><\/span>intentionally\u00a0<\/span><\/span>burning religious material,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a charge\u00a0<\/span><\/span>they vehemently deny.\u201c<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley notes that there is a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>troubling history of unsubstantiated Quran burning accusations against Christians in Pakistan. \u201cIn\u00a0<\/span><\/span>February 1997, a mob of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>more than\u00a0<\/span><\/span>30,000 Muslims burnt the village and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>c<\/span><\/span>hurch in Shanti Nagar, District Khanewal<\/span><\/span>\u00a0based on a false accusation\u00a0<\/span><\/span>of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Christians burn<\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Qurans there. In<\/span><\/span>\u00a0November 2005,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>more than\u00a0<\/span><\/span>1,500 Muslims burnt three churches in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Sanglahill<\/span><\/span>\u00a0District,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>on a similar charge.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cIn th<\/span><\/span>is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Christmas Eve incident in Narowal,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a mob of over 300 people gathered outside the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>c<\/span><\/span>hurch, chant<\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span>\u00a0slogans to hand over the<\/span><\/span>\u00a0people<\/span><\/span>\u00a0who\u00a0<\/span><\/span>allegedly\u00a0<\/span><\/span>burn<\/span><\/span>ed<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the pages.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Police arrived and<\/span><\/span>\u00a0mistakenly<\/span><\/span>\u00a0arrested a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>50<\/span><\/span>–<\/span><\/span>year old<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Christian man<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Ilyas Masih<\/span><\/span>, a<\/span><\/span>\u00a0poor laborer<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and father of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>five children<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0The\u00a0<\/span><\/span>p<\/span><\/span>olice in the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>p<\/span><\/span>olice\u00a0<\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span>tation beat him. Due to this, he shared the names of the three Christian\u00a0<\/span><\/span>boys\u00a0<\/span><\/span>who\u00a0<\/span><\/span>originated\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the bonfire.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Representative Foley says that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>22<\/span><\/span>–<\/span><\/span>year old<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Azeem Masih<\/span><\/span>, one of the three boys<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0was taken into\u00a0<\/span><\/span>p<\/span><\/span>olice\u00a0<\/span><\/span>c<\/span><\/span>ustody<\/span><\/span>, where she reports he was\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaten\u00a0<\/span><\/span>by the police<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>The other two\u00a0<\/span><\/span>boys\u00a0<\/span><\/span>managed to escape after\u00a0<\/span><\/span>learning of the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>threat<\/span><\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u201c<\/span><\/span>But\u00a0<\/span><\/span>announcements were made in the local mosques to burn the houses of Christians and the church. Fortunately, once the other two boys were handed over to the police, the situation calmed considerably. Now, the three boys have all been released on bail.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Representative Foley says that early\u00a0<\/span><\/span>intervention<\/span><\/span>\u00a0from Christian attorneys in Pakistan enabled the charges to be negotiated down from major to minor offenses<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>likely\u00a0<\/span><\/span>prevented further\u00a0<\/span><\/span>violence\u00a0<\/span><\/span>against the local Christians<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>Ezra Law Associates, our partner in Pakistan, worked quickly to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ease the tensions and get the police report\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to be as\u00a0<\/span><\/span>neutral and fair as possible. Because of this,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>boys\u00a0<\/span><\/span>won\u2019t<\/span><\/span>\u00a0face the harshest charges under Pakistan\u2019s strict blasphemy laws<\/span><\/span>. That is crucial, since once Christians are charged with\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the major\u00a0<\/span><\/span>blasphemy<\/span><\/span>\u00a0offense<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>it\u2019s<\/span><\/span>\u00a0extremely difficult to get the charges reduced or dismissed<\/span><\/span>, or to get a verdict of not guilty in the courts<\/span><\/span>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”34676″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The mother of Azeem Asih, the 22-year old Pakistani Christian who was one of three boys accused of burning pages from the Quran on Christmas Eve. She is shown with fellow local Christians and attorneys who are aiding the family as Asih faces blasphemy charges.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”34675″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Members of the Presbyterian Church in Kotli Muhammad Sadeeq, Narowal in Punjab province, Pakistan, standing in front of the church with Christian attorneys. Three boys from the church stand accused of burning pages from the Quran on Christmas Eve.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Representative Foley says that the boys<\/span><\/span>, who belong to the local Presbyterian church,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0still face several serious difficulties.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>The families\u00a0<\/span><\/span>of the boys are now\u00a0<\/span><\/span>jobless as they\u00a0<\/span><\/span>were\u00a0<\/span><\/span>work<\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span>\u00a0at a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>brick kiln\u00a0<\/span><\/span>run by Muslims<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and have now been fired<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Azeem\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is still recovering\u00a0<\/span><\/span>physical<\/span><\/span>ly from the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>police beating, and he\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>experienc<\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span>\u00a0constant\u00a0<\/span><\/span>mental anxiety<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Severe threats have been\u00a0<\/span><\/span>made against their lives<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Representative Foley says\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea is partnering with Ezra Law Associates to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>help the families and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ensure th<\/span><\/span>at the<\/span><\/span>\u00a0boys receive\u00a0<\/span><\/span>proper representation\u00a0<\/span><\/span>throughout the legal process<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cWe give thanks to the Lord that Ezra Law Associates\u00a0<\/span><\/span>has been\u00a0<\/span><\/span>able to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>represent\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and care for\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the boys from the very beginning of this matter<\/span><\/span>. Though the boys still face extremely serious\u00a0<\/span><\/span>challenges ahead<\/span><\/span>, the early involvement of Christian attorneys\u00a0<\/span><\/span>has\u00a0<\/span><\/span>help<\/span><\/span>ed\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to make\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the outlook brighter than that faced by\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Asia Bibi and other Pakistani Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>charged with blasphemy\u00a0<\/span><\/span>on the basis of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0false witness and discrimination against Christians.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Representative Foley\u00a0<\/span><\/span>says\u00a0<\/span><\/span>that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>its\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Families of Martyrs and Prisoner F<\/span><\/span>und<\/span><\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>used to help\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>who\u00a0<\/span><\/span>choose to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>stay<\/span><\/span>, or who have no choice but to stay,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in the setting of persecution<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>Often w<\/span><\/span>hen\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Korean Christians and NGOs\u00a0<\/span><\/span>hear about\u00a0<\/span><\/span>persecuted Christians, their first thought is<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to help them escape<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to<\/span><\/span>\u00a0somewhere safe<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>But\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in a case like these boys from Narowal,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>i<\/span><\/span>f Christians flee<\/span><\/span>\u00a0or are relocated<\/span><\/span>, those who remain<\/span><\/span>\u2014in this case, the other 40 Christian families in the village<\/span><\/span>\u2014often\u00a0<\/span><\/span>face greater persecution<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0since it makes attackers\u00a0<\/span><\/span>more\u00a0<\/span><\/span>bold<\/span><\/span>. The\u00a0<\/span><\/span>witness to the gospel\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is silenced<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Supporting their legal defense enables Christians to stand firm, make their communities safer for other believers in the future, and even make a positive witness for the gospel.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley said that donations to\u00a0<\/span>VOMK\u2019s Families of Martyrs\/Families of Prisoners\u00a0<\/span>(FOM\/FOP)\u00a0<\/span>fund<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>this month\u00a0<\/span>will be used to support the\u00a0<\/span>continued defense\u00a0<\/span>of the three boys and\u00a0<\/span>care\u00a0<\/span>for their families<\/span>. Funds raised above and beyond these needs will be used in the legal defense of other Pakistani Christians. Donations<\/span>\u00a0can be made<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>at\u00a0<\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/<\/span>en\/<\/span>donat<\/span>ion<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0or via electronic transfer to<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uad6d\ubbfc\uc740\ud589<\/span>\u00a0463501-01-243303<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uc608\uae08\uc8fc<\/span>: (<\/span>\uc0ac<\/span>)<\/span>\uc21c\uad50\uc790\uc758\uc18c\ub9ac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please include the name \u201c<\/span>FOM\/FOP<\/span>\u201d on the donation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34670″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Three Christian boys from Narowal, a city in the northeast of the Punjab province of Pakistan, were accused of blasphemy after allegedly burning pages of the Quran, …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":34672,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34681\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}