Italian Parliamentarians and Activists Call for Action on Christian Persecution in Pakistan

Rome, Italy – In a significant event organized by the Association of Pakistani Christians in Italy and the Jubilee Campaign, Netherlands, panelists urged the international community and European Parliamentarians, especially Italian legislators, to use diplomatic channels and advocate for legislative reforms to address the persecution of Christians in Pakistan.

Key Issues Highlighted

The event focused on the misuse of blasphemy laws and forced faith conversions as critical issues. During the press conference, a new book titled Under Threat of Death: A Mother’s Faith in the Face of Injustice, Imprisonment, and Persecution by Shagufta Kausar and Eugene Bach was launched. The book recounts Kausar’s harrowing experiences facing blasphemy accusations in Pakistan.

Speakers’ Insights

Shagufta Kausar shared her ordeal, revealing that she was offered multiple chances to convert to Islam to avoid punishment but steadfastly refused. She expressed gratitude to Lorenzo Malagola and Professor Shahid Mobeen for organizing the event and allowing her to share her eight-year imprisonment testimony.

Lorenzo Malagola emphasized the importance of freedom of religion as a core human rights value and urged the Pakistani government to ensure that all religious minorities can practice their beliefs without fear. He criticized the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA)’s discriminatory policy on religious conversion on national identity cards.

Fr Gilbert Shahzad urged Italian parliamentarians and EU Member States to politically engage with Pakistan to abolish the death penalty and fulfill human rights obligations. He highlighted that Pakistan received 12 recommendations to amend blasphemy laws during its 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2023 but has yet to implement them effectively.

Joseph Jansen, a human rights activist with Jubilee Campaign, Netherlands, addressed various forms of persecution Christians face in Pakistan, including blasphemy law misuse, mob lynching, attacks on churches, honor killings, abduction and rape of minor girls, forced conversions to Islam, and bonded labor at brick kilns.

Advocate Tabassum Yousaf urged the Pakistani government to combat violence against women, including domestic violence, forced marriage, and child marriage. She highlighted the gross abuse of blasphemy laws, where false complaints often target innocent individuals to settle personal scores.

Pastor Justin Bhatti noted that UN treaty bodies monitoring the implementation of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) have urged Pakistan to repeal or amend blasphemy laws to comply with international human rights standards.

Massimiliano Tubani, Director of ACN-Italy, underscored the need to safeguard religious minorities and enhance socioeconomic development efforts, emphasizing that protecting minority rights is essential for ensuring safety and dignity.

Call to Action

The speakers called on Pakistani authorities to address grave human rights violations, prioritize socio-economic upliftment, and ensure the protection of all citizens, regardless of their faith. They urged Pakistan to meet its international commitments by upholding human rights and adhering to international treaties to ensure justice for everyone.

The press conference highlighted the broad, vague, and coercive nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which carry a mandatory death penalty. The speakers called for the abolition of the death penalty and the release of individuals imprisoned for peacefully exercising their faith. They also urged the Pakistani government to respect, fulfill, and promote women’s rights and enact laws to criminalize forced faith conversions of minority girls and women.