Italian and EU Legislators Advocate for Religious Freedom in Pakistan

News Desk 

Rome, Italy – July 24, 2024:

At a press conference organized by the Association of Pakistani Christians in Italy in collaboration with 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. The conference highlighted the misuse of blasphemy laws and forced faith conversions as significant issues.

The event also saw the launch of “Under Threat of Death: A Mother’s Faith in the Face of Injustice, Imprisonment, and Persecution,” a new book by Shagufta Kausar and Eugene Bach, published by Whitaker House. Kausar, a Christian woman who faced blasphemy accusations in Pakistan, recounted her harrowing experiences, including being pressured to convert to Islam to avoid punishment. “Christians in Pakistan are like sheep among wolves without a protector,” she stated.

Kausar expressed gratitude to Lorenzo Malagola and Professor Shahid Mobeen for organizing the event, sharing her testimony of eight years in prison. Malagola emphasized the importance of religious freedom as a core human rights value recognized within and outside the EU. He criticized Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for its discriminatory policy on religious conversion in national identity cards, urging the Pakistani government to ensure that all religious minorities can practice their beliefs without fear.

Fr. Gilbert Shahzad called on Italian parliamentarians and EU Member States to engage politically with Pakistan to abolish the death penalty and prioritize the protection of religious minorities through progressive laws. He noted that despite receiving recommendations during the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2023, Pakistan has failed to implement measures to amend blasphemy laws and criminalize forced faith conversions.

Advocate Tabassum Yousaf urged the Pakistani government to address violence against women, including domestic violence, forced marriage, and child marriage. She highlighted the misuse of blasphemy laws to settle personal scores, fostering a climate of religiously motivated violence and persecution.

Pastor Justin Bhatti emphasized that UN treaty bodies have urged Pakistan to repeal or amend blasphemy laws in compliance with international human rights standards. He noted that the misuse of these laws instills fear among vulnerable groups and calls for addressing the infrastructure of violence at the community level.

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

Speakers at the event called on Pakistani authorities to address grave human rights violations, prioritize socioeconomic upliftment, and ensure the protection of all citizens, regardless of their faith. They emphasized the need for Pakistan to meet its international commitments by upholding human rights and adhering to international treaties to ensure justice for everyone.

Policy Recommendations:
– Establish an independent commission of inquiry under the Inquiry Commission Act of 1956 to probe issues such as extrajudicial killings and blasphemy accusations, and propose effective safeguards against the misuse of blasphemy laws.
– Align criminal defamation and blasphemy laws with international human rights standards, ensuring they do not criminalize expressions of opinion, dissent, religion, or belief.
– Investigate the role of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in registering false accusations and reconsider the role of Anti-Terrorism Courts in trying blasphemy and mob violence cases.
– Enact laws to criminalize child marriage and coerced religious conversions, ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice.