Rimsha Masih granted bail on provision of 2 x 500,000 rupee sureties! BPCA establishes Rimsha Fund to pay for legal costs and protected shelter for Rimsha and her family!

Shamim Masih questions Imam Chisti before the Imam was accused of falsifying evidence.

This morning Rimsha Masih the 11 year old Downs Syndrome sufferer who was falsely accused of a blasphemy, has been granted bail at Islamabad court.

After a break of 2 hours for Friday prayers, Judge Muhammed Azam Khan said;

"I accept her grant appeal."

He also confirmed that she would have to pay two sureties of 500,000 rupees, equivalent to around £7,000 in UK pounds sterling.

The case against Rimsha was weakened when the Imam who laid the original charges against Rimsha was arrested, after his deputy and other witnesses confirmed Imam Chisti had added torn shreds of the Koran to a bag found with Rimsha, containing burnt text from Arabic Islamic text books.

Rimsha's defence lawyer Tahir Naveed Chaudhry had submitted before the court that the girl was entitled to bail as she was a minor.  He also referred to the original FIR lodged by the police which did not say that she desecrated a copy of the holy Koran.  

The prosecution counsel alleged that the girl had confessed to her guilt and was therefore not entitled for bail.

The prosecution in a sleazy attempt to subvert justice also alleged that the police, investigating officers and doctors were intentionally manipulating evidence, so that Rimsha could be freed under international pressure.  

This decision is only a small step towards the safety of Rimsha and at this juncture she will still have to proceed through a full blasphemy trial.  Rimsha has not been exonerated and now has two large bail charges to pay and further legal fees.  

BPCA have teamed up with Shamim Masih of "Reformation for Empowerment and Alleviation of Poverty" (REAP), to assist Rimsha Masih and her family.  We will be collecting donations for her bail fee of £7,000, ongoing legal costs and funds towards maintaining a safe environment for this family, whilst in Pakistan.

If you would like to contribute please use the PayPal facility on the top right hand corner of our blog.  You can also send your contributions by cheque payable to;

British Pakistani Christian Association.

Post to;

British Pakistani Christian Association

57 Green Lane

Ilford

Essex

IG1 1XG 

Alternatively should you wish you can pay by BACS, direct debit or standing order by paying into the following account details: 

Sort Code: 20-67-90 

Account Number: 63468976

Our long term hope is that Rimsha and her family will be granted Asylum in the UK, America, Canada or other safe countries.  Today we spoke with MP Andrew Stephenson form Pendle, to ask if Britain would offer asylum to Rimsha.  He said;

"Sadly the line is that all cases are considered on their merits, however given what Alistair Burt said in the chamber and how high profile this case has been I would have thought her chances are very good"

We are continuing our protest scheduled for Birmingham Saturday 8th September 2012.  Rimsha is still not free and will have to prove her innocence, through what will no doubt be, a long drawn out court trial.  This  child with fragile emotions will have to answer severe questions and under Police duress has already admitted guilt.  Our community needs to understand that the bail simply means she will no longer be in a cell whilst she is awaiting the full trial.  She is still to undergo the turmoil that such cases create for victims.

Details of our Birmingham protest:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/pakistani-christians-protest-in.html

This protest is also an opportunity to raise a voice for the nine nurses from Karachi - poisoned through tea for being Christians, for Asia Bibi the mother of five languishing in prison with a death sentence imposed upon her, for the Christians of Essa Nagri under siege for the wealth of their property and refusing to pay Jizya Tax and for Christians in Walton, Lahore under siege for not converting to Islam.  We also remind you that the abduction, rape and forced Islamic marriage of Christian girls has surpassed a rate of 1 a day!

The real injustice behind Rimsha's case is that the Blasphmey law protects the Koran and not the Arabic textbook found burnt in a bag she was carrying.  This case quite simply, should have been thrown out of court!  For now, we will just have to continue our wait, whilst we pray that justice prevails.