A special court in Pakistan, established under the PECA Act, has sentenced a blasphemy convict to death.
The convict, Qaiser Sajjad, was found guilty under Section 11 of the PECA law and received a 7-year imprisonment sentence, along with a fine of 700,000 rupees.
The court also ordered the Adiala Jail Superintendent to execute the sentence .
This verdict is part of Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws, which have been criticized for being used to persecute religious minorities and settle personal rivalries.
According to human rights organizations, over 1,300 people were accused of blasphemy between 1967 and 2014, with Muslims constituting most of those accused .
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have also led to extrajudicial killings, with at least 89 people killed over blasphemy accusations between 1947 and 2021.
The laws have been reinforced over the years, with the most recent development being the National Assembly’s vote to tighten blasphemy laws in January 2023 .
