These blasphemy cases are transparent fabrications. Who in his right mind would insult Muhammad publicly in Pakistan today? Everyone knows what the result would be. And in this case, “the phone on which the Facebook comment was made had been stolen from him in 2019.”
The persecution of Fanson Shahid, however, doesn’t fit the media narrative, and those who dare to report on it at all will be dismissed as “Islamophobes,” and the world will go on its merry way, while Fanson Shahid spends the rest of his life behind bars for nothing.
“Christian Sentenced to Life in Prison under Blasphemy Law,” Morning Star News, February 19, 2024:
LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A judge sentenced a Christian to life in prison under Pakistan’s blasphemy statutes for a social media message that relatives say was posted using a phone stolen from him, sources said.
Fanson Shahid, 56, had been beaten in his home in Lahore when arrested in March 2022 and tortured into confessing after he was accused of posting a derogatory remark about the prophet of Islam in a comment on a post that another Christian had shared, his wife said.
The phone on which the Facebook comment was made had been stolen from him in 2019, she said.
Justice Zafar Yab Chadhar of the Additional Sessions Court Gujranwala District, Punjab Province, handed down the sentence on Jan. 24, but the family did not disclose it until now.
“We were praying for Shahid’s acquittal because he’s innocent, but the verdict has shattered our hopes for justice,” his sister, Sonia Shahid, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Investigators found Fanson Shahid’s Facebook account was logged on in the new phone they recovered in 2022 and presented that as evidence that he had made the comment. His wife, Safia Shahid, said at that time, “We believe that the lost phone was misused by someone to post the blasphemous comment, because my husband did not use a passcode for its security, and his Facebook account was also logged in.”
Fanson Shahid was convicted under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s blasphemy statutes, which calls for a mandatory death sentence for derogatory comments about Muhammad, but Chadhar cited as a “mitigating circumstance” that the comment was posted “only once.”
“If a single doubt or ground is available creating reasonable doubt in the mind of the court/judge to award even death penalty or life imprisonment, it would be sufficient circumstance to adopt alternative course by awarding life imprisonment instead of death sentence,” Chadhar wrote in the verdict.
He also handed Fanson Shahid a fine of 100,000 rupees (USD 358). Shahid was also convicted under Section 295-A, which prohibits hurting religious sentiments, and sentenced to three years in prison….
Mind watch says
This is really getting to the stage where it is an insult to anyone’s dignity and intelligence (at any level) to respond to this blatant non-sense.
It would be very hard not to question, or disparage Muhammad (if he himself existed) in view of his crimes against humanity. The judge of course is under the impression (or simply wishes to make it clear) that everyone should know that Muhammad’s depraved acts are somehow legitimate and warranted, even in terms of its ugly ideology and intent only. And of course everyone is ridiculously expected to respect this devil of a cult.
And the evidence against that poor man (Fanson) is so scant and tenuous that it does imply concoction and fabrication as Mr Spencer suggests.
And of course, most people would say anything when tortured. The fact that this ‘confession’ is taken as probably the most compelling evidence against Fanson is just so sickening.
Of course the whole thing’s a sham, and a truly disgusting, shameful one. The system of charging, the courts, and judges all (perhaps subliminally) conveying a sense of nobility and legitimacy to this festering regime that is resolute in implementing the rule of a god that, devoid of any evidence, remains a myth.
Why should we all bow down to a set of beliefs that aren’t ours. Islam I feel has simply turned beliefs into facts, and now into law. It’s just so fraudulent and its adherents are basing their entire life on lie and a myth. If only they would contain it in themselves, in the manner that most Christians hold their own beliefs!
Jack Reynolds says
Based on personal experience, what Percentage of Muslim Immigrants meets your definition of Savage … 25%, 50%, or 75%. ???
Walter Sieruk says
This Christian ,only under torture, “confessed ” that he had “insulted” the prophet of Islam ,
Muhammad, This isa tragic example of the fact that there are many Muslims who strongly dislike Christians. Some Muslims even hate Christians so much that they even become violence against them and burn their Bibles. One reason for this is that in the mosques and madrasas the Muslim clerics, as the imams who speak many awful and unproven terrible things against Christians and Christian doctrine. So much so the many Muslims get all worked up against Christians and Christian teachings and some those Muslims commit violent actions against Christians. Such false religious teachers, as those Muslim clerics, who speak to people unfounded and invalid evil things about Christians and Christian doctrines have been described in the Bible. For the Bible informs the reader in Second Peter 2:12. “They speak evil of things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption.” [N.K.J.V.]
It also should be make clear that in this specific above Bible verse, as well as in John 3:16. The word “Perish” does not mean loss of being but loss of well-being. As in going to ruin by ending up in languishing in torment in a terrible place of suffering that the Bible calls hell. Luke 16:19-31.
here are many Muslims who strongly dislike Christians.
Some Muslims even hate Christians so much that they even become violence against them and burn their Bibles. One reason for this is that in the mosques and madrasas the Muslim clerics, as the imams who speak many awful and unproven terrible things against Christians and Christian doctrine. So much so the many Muslims get all worked up against Christians and Christian teachings and some those Muslims commit violent actions against Christians.
Such false religious teachers, as those Muslim clerics, who speak to people unfounded and invalid evil things about Christians and Christian doctrines have been described in the Bible. For the Bible informs the reader in Second Peter 2:12. “They speak evil of things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption.” [N.K.J.V.]
It also should be make clear that in this specific above Bible verse, as well as in John 3:16. The word “Perish” does not mean loss of being but loss of well-being. As in going to ruin by ending up in languishing in torment in a terrible place of suffering that the Bible calls hell. Luke 16:19-31.
Walter Sieruk says
This is a hard harsh and bitter example of the difference between Christians and Muslims by the faith and behavior.
For if Christians discover that someone has spoken in terrible disrespect about Jesus, the reaction Christians should have according to the Bible, is to pray for that person, or as the very worst shun him of her.
By contrast, if Muslims discover that someone had “insulted” Muhammad That person would person would be tortured and killed, or just killed. Such behavior by Muslims is a deadly action that is carried out according to Quran and the other authorized books of Islam, such as the Hadith.
The contrasting difference between that actions of Christians and Muslims because of their faith is vast and outstanding.
Thus the the results, fruits, in the behavior Christians with their faith in Jesus and Muslims with their faith in Islam.
Jesus taught “By their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:20. [N.K.J.V.]
John Smith says
It could of been worse, he could of got the death sentence. Which takes me back to Asia Bibi, a Christian girl who was also convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan, but she was sentenced to death. Fortunately for her the sentence was overturned on an appeal, and she managed to get out of the country. She is now doing well in Canada.I only hope a similar outcome will happen to Fanson Shahid.
Tony Rice says
THE question arises and needs to be answered by any ” on high ” in the Islamic religion ” WHY cannot any criticism or adverse comment be made re Muhammad. IF he is so wondrous, surely his reputation can stand a bit of probing and questioning?. If not, WHY not. Suggests to me his true character, example and what he said, is highly suspect and thus needs protecting on fear of death. Such as his requirement that anyone who leaves the Islamic faith be put to death. IF he and it were so wondrous everyone would flock to it VOLUNTARILY, not at the point of a sword. A LOT doesn’t add up.
OLD GUY says
Islam the perfect form of government leadership, follow my rules or DIE.
Ray Jarman says
It appears that the only governments of the West that these followers of the pedophilic mass murdering monster are the ones such as Hitler’s NATZI and Joseph Stalin’s Communism party with their show trials. Both Adolph and Joe were mass murdering monsters not unlike the leaders in most Islamic nations.