Persecution: Recent Updates from Pakistan, Egypt and Malaysia
by Staff
June 6, 2007
Pakistan:
Walter Fazal Khan, who was charged under Pakistan's blasphemy law and jailed for allegedly desecrating the Quran on May 9 (see www.persecution.net/news/pakistan89.html for more details), was granted bail on May 29. According to a May 29 report from the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement, Khan was taken to a safe location.Egypt:
Bahaa el -Din Ahmed Hussein el-Akkad (57), a former Muslim leader who converted to Christianity and was jailed in April 2005 (see www.persecution.net/news/egypt29.html for more details), was released without charges on April 28, according to a May 24 report from Compass Direct. No official reason was given for his unexpected release. A week earlier, his lawyer's appeal had been denied by the Emergency Court. Only hours before he was freed, authorities reportedly told him that he would remain in prison for another ten years if he did not return to Islam.
El-Akkad is currently at home with his family. He returned to find hundreds of letters and cards waiting for him that had been mailed over the past few months in a concentrated letter-writing campaign from Christians around the world. According to local Christians, he is being closely monitored by authorities and continues to be under threat.
Malaysia:
On May 30, the federal court of Malaysia denied Lina Joy legal recognition of her conversion from Islam to Christianity in 1998 (see www.persecution.net/news/malaysia7.html for more details). According to a May 30 report from Asia News, it was decided that only the Islamic court may remove the word "Islam" from her documents. Her case has been the subject of internal debate and pressure from Muslim militants. Following the ruling, hundreds of Islamic demonstrators celebrated outside the courthouse.
The feature article of the July edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter will focus on the difficulties facing Christians in Malaysia. To subscribe today, go to www.persecution.net/newsletter.htm.
