Islamabad, September 19,2024-A local court in Islamabad has sentenced a Christian woman to death in a blasphemy case. Shagufta Kiran was accused of sharing blasphemous content about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in a WhatsApp group four years ago.
The court convicted Kiran under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, handing her the death penalty and imposing fine of Rs 300,000. In addition, the court sentenced her to seven years in prison and a Rs 100,000 fine under Section 11 of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
Special Court Judge Afzal Majoka announced the verdict, stating in a brief order that the death sentence would not be carried out until it is confirmed by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The court also noted that Kiran has the right to appeal the decision within 30 days.
Shagufta Kiran is the second Christian woman to receive a death sentence for blasphemy in Pakistan. Previously, Asia Bibi was sentenced to death in a similar case, but after spending eight years in prison, the Supreme Court, led by former Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, acquitted her of all charges in October 2018.
According to an official from the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Wing, Kiran, a resident of Islamabad, was accused of sharing inappropriate content about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on her social media account in September 2020. Complaints were filed, leading to her arrest on July 29, 2021, following the registration of a case by a citizen named Shiraz Ahmed.
The judicial records show that Kiran, a mother of four, filed a bail application in March 2023, which was denied by the court after hearing arguments from both sides. Her lawyers later challenged the decision in the Islamabad High Court, which also dismissed her appeal. This case has drawn comparisons to previous blasphemy cases in Pakistan, reigniting debate over the country’s blasphemy laws and their impact on religious minorities.
