AFP
January 26, 2011
January 26, 2011
Pakistani
and Italian protesters hold posters reading "Religious Freedom is a
Fundamental Right", "Let's save Asia Bibi and all those condemned for
blasphemy" during a demonstration in front of the Italian Parliament in
central Rome. -AFP Photo
ROME:
Italian lawmakers and religious associations protested in Rome
Wednesday against Pakistan's blasphemy law, calling for the release of a
Christian woman sentenced to death under the legislation.
Catholic
and Jewish associations joined human rights group Amnesty International
and representatives of the Pakistani community in Italy in a 100-strong
demonstration in front of the Italian parliament.
"We
want this law to be abolished," Pakistani-born Joseph Philip told AFP,
explaining that his uncle, a Catholic Bishop, had been killed for his
religious beliefs. He said he had come to the protest along with 15
compatriots.
Asia
Bibi, a 45-year-old, Christian mother-of-five, was sentenced to death
in November after Muslim women labourers who worked with her in the
fields complained she made derogatory remarks about the Prophet
Mohammed.
Umberto
Bossi, head of Italy's anti-immigrant and populist Northern League
Party and prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's partner in the centre-right
coalition, attended Wednesday's protest here.
"We
want to express our solidarity," he told journalists. A delegation from
the protest also met Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
Last
Thursday the European parliament urged Pakistan President Asif Ali
Zardari to pardon and release Bibi following calls from several
countries, international organisations and an appeal by Pope Benedict
XVI.
European parliamentarians also called on the Pakistani government to revise their blasphemy laws and their application.
Their
request followed the January 4 assassination of Punjab governor Salman
Taseer, who was shot dead by a police commando after calling for reform
of the blasphemy law used to sentence Bibi to death.
Taseer's
killing met with mixed reactions in Pakistan, with many from the
country's conservative religious quarter praising the gunman for acting
to silence the outspoken moderate politician
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