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Supporters of Islamic political party Jamaat-e-Islami protest in Peshawar against an online competition to draw pictures of Prophet Mohammad on Facebook which Muslims deem blasphemous May 20, 2010. Pakistan has blocked the popular video sharing website YouTube indefinitely in a bid to contain blasphemous material, officials said on Thursday. The blockade came hours after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed Internet service providers to stop access to social network site Facebook indefinitely on Wednesday because of an online competition to draw the Prophet Mohammad. REUTERS/Fayaz Aziz (PAKISTAN - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST SCI TECH)
New threats to the life of a Christian woman in Pakistan who was charged with blasphemy for saying that Jesus is alive and therefore the "true prophet" have erupted, according to sources of Voice of the Martyrs.
The organization works with Christians throughout the world where governments, religious establishments and others persecute believers.
VOM officials have revealed that their sources in Pakistan are reporting the new concerns for the life of Asia Bibi, who actually was sentenced to death for blasphemy, but now apparently is the subject of a clemency effort.
Contacts told Voice of the Martyrs earlier this month that a mullah, an Islamic leader, had offered more than $6,000 for her death.
VOM contacts are concerned for Asia's safety. In the past, Christians have been killed in jail, on their way to court, and even after being released from jail, the report said.
"There is threat that she can be killed even after her releasing from the jail," VOM contacts said. "It's not just a statement … but we have examples of previous blasphemy cases."
After the offer was made known, Muslims, including representatives from extremist groups, protested against Bibi and a proposed amendment of the blasphemy law.
VOM reported Bibi had been arrested by police in June 2009 following a discussion between her and her co-workers about their faith.
"Asia told the Muslim women about her faith in Christ, explaining that he had died on the cross for our sins. Then she asked them what Mohammed had done for them, according to VOM sources. She told them Jesus is alive, but Mohammed is dead. 'Our Christ is the true prophet of God,' she reportedly told them, 'and yours is not true,"" the VOM report documented.
The organization said Muslim women then beat her, and some men locked her in a room.
"They announced from mosque loudspeakers that she would be punished by having her face blackened and being paraded through the village on a donkey. Local Christians informed the police, who took Asia into custody before the Muslims could carry out their plan," the report said.
Bibi was charged with blasphemy, and on Nov. 8, 2010, she was sentenced to death.
There were reports several weeks ago that she had been released, but it apparently was just that there were talks about clemency for her.
The Pakistan website International News Network Online and Daily Christian News both reported at the time Bibi had been pardoned.
But the Pak Tribune website echoed an Agence France Presse report that while the request for a pardon has been submitted and the process of consideration begun, it has not yet happened.
Sources close to the situation say that Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer has submitted a petition to free Bibi and that the case is on Zardari's desk.
Jonathan Racho of International Christian Concern warned earlier that even if she was released, her life was not assured.
"In Pakistan, there are a number of Islamic radical groups and even if the government has already released and pardoned Asia Bibi, the Islamic radicals may take the law into their own hands and kill her and members of her family," Racho explained.
"Many Islamic radicals will use any opportunity to carry out vigilante justice against our brothers and sisters in Christ in that country," Racho asserted.
"They will use any excuse even if the courts don't find them guilty," Racho said.
Racho cited the July gunning down of Pastor Rashid Emmanuel and his brother Sajid at the courthouse after their acquittal on blasphemy charges as an unfortunate example of Pakistan's vigilante mindset.
Racho says that it's the radicals who hold the power and it doesn't matter how many radicals there are.
