LAHORE HIGH COURT ADMITS APPEAL AGAINST
The Lahore High Court has admitted the appeal of Dr. Shaikh, Pakistani rationalist and founder president of "The Enlightenment", against the death sentence awarded to him for blasphemy by the Islamabad additional district and sessions court on 18 August (Saturday). Dr. Shaikh was given only one week's time to appeal in the High Court. Dr. Shaikh, British educated physician, Pakistani rationalist and founder of the first known rationalist organisation in Pakistan "The Enlightenment" was arrested on 4 October, 2000 by Islamabad police and booked under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code. Dr. Shaikh was accused to have defied the prophet Muhammed with his statement that Muhammed did not become a Muslim before the age of forty and that his parents were non-Muslims. The sister of Dr Shaikh made the appeal on 21 August (Tuesday) on behalf of him. A court official has confirmed that the appeal had been admitted. Dr. Muhammed Younus Shaikh, British educated physician and physiology professor in a local medical college was arrested on 4 October 2000 by the Islamabad police and booked under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code. Dr. Shaikh was accused to have defied Prophet Muhammed with his statement that Muhammed did not become a Muslim before the age of forty and that his parents were non-Muslims. Dr. Shaikh was found guilty and convicted under the law that prescribes death sentence if charges of blasphemy are proved. This law was added to the Pakistan Penal Code in 1986 which said whoever made derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammed "by words either spoken, or written, or by visible representation or by any imputation, innuendo or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of Holy Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine." What to do now? 1) We request all readers of the Rationalist International Bulletin to write letters appealing to the President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf in the following format or in similar lines at the following address with copy to the DR.SHAIKH DEFENSE COMMITTEE.
2) If you have a web page or site, please post this message with a link to www.rationalistinternational.net. The web site of Rationalist International has several pages about Dr. Shaikh and the case, with the text of the Police First Information Report (FIR), the Pakistan Blasphemy Laws and reports of the several stages of the case. The site is being updated with all new details. If you have an email group, please post this message and promote maximum people to write to the President of Pakistan to mediate and intervene for the release of Dr. Shaikh. 3) If you have a journal or if you have access to the media, please try to bring out stories about Dr. Shaikh and the inhuman and uncivilized blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Always remember to mention www.rationalistinternational.net for all the latest information on the Dr.Shaikh case. You are also welcome to use the information and material from the web site of Rationalist International or from the Rationalist International Bulletins. Remember: strong public opinion is necessary for the success of any mediation or diplomatic initiatives. 4) Rationalist International has set up a committee to build international public opinion to save the life of Dr. Shaikh. Sanal Edamaruku, President of Rationalist International, is the convenor of the DR.SHAIKH DEFENSE COMMITTEE. Please send your donations to the following account by Swift Bank Transfer and inform us by e-mail (Dr.ShaikhDefense@rationalistinternational.net)
Account Number: 5314 938 226
INTERNATIONAL PROTEST AGAINST BLASPHEMY LAWS IN PAKISTAN Sanal Edamaruku, President of Rationalist International and convenor of the DR. SHAIKH DEFENSE COMMITTEE, has called upon General Musharraf, President of Pakistan, to guarantee for Dr. Shaikh's life and safety. Expressing shock and grave concern at the harassment of Dr. Shaikh by fundamentalist forces and judicial authorities, he demanded immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Shaikh from jail and safe passage out of Pakistan. Mr Edamaruku offered to mediate with a suitable country to grant him refuge. Reminding President Musharraf at his recent announcement to take tough measures against religious extremism and lead Pakistan to democracy, Sanal Edamaruku recommended the Blasphemy Law to his special attention, which he called barbaric, shameful, unworthy of a civilized state and overdue to be abolished. Meantime the death sentence against Dr. Shaikh has raised strong international protest. Amnesty International, in a statement on 21 August 2001 has recognized Dr. Shaikh as prisoner of conscience and termed the trial against him unfair and demanded his immediate release. "The charges (against Dr. Shaikh) were maliciously brought, the allegations did not establish blasphemy and the trial which led to the conviction on such grounds could not have been fair", said the statement. For the full statement of Amnesty International, please visit: http://www.web.amnesty.org/web/news.nsf/WebAll/40ACDE436A28575180256AAF0038FDBB?OpenDocument The Council for Secular Humanism (CSH) headed by Prof. Paul Kurtz, the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) in which Dr. Shaikh's organization "The Enlightenment" is an associate member, and several other rationalist-humanist organizations across the world have launched an international campaign in Dr. Shaikh's support. IHEU President Levi Fragell overhanded in Oslo a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, requesting him to take urgent action to save Dr. Shaikh. For more reports about the award of death sentence to Dr. Shaikh in the international press, please visit the following sites: Dawn (Pakistan), 18 August 2001: http://www.dawn.com/2001/08/19/top14.htm BBC (UK), 19 August 2001: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1498000/1498121.stm New York Times (USA), 19 August 2001: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/20/international/asia/20DOCT.html The Times (UK), 19 August 2001: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,3-2001286144,00.html The Guardian (UK), 19 August 2001: http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,539348,00.html CNN (USA), 20 August 2001: http://www.cnn.com/2001/world/asiapcf/south/08/19/pakistan.blasphemy/index.html The Daily Telegraph (UK), 23 August 2001: http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/08/22/wblas22.xml Dainik Jagaran (India), 23 August 2001: http://news.jagran.com/today/CT106.htm
BLASPHEMY LAWS IN PAKISTAN (Source: www.rationalistinternational.net)
Creative Rationalism THIRD INTERNATIONAL RATIONALIST CONFERENCE New Delhi, India: 8-12, February 2002 Registration Open Now Registration for The Third International Rationalist Conference is open now. Join Rationalists -- Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists, Secular Humanists and Skeptics -- from around the world. Meet rationalist thinkers and fighters who influence social change. Exchange ideas, views, experiences and visions. Identify the creative dimension of Rationalism. Discuss the potential of transforming societies. Set the course for the future of enlightenment and humanism. Witness history. Creative Rationalism THIRD INTERNATIONAL RATIONALIST CONFERENCE At New Delhi from 8 to 12 February 2002 We need to keep setting high goals and achieving them. An interesting, thought-provoking conference. More details about the International Rationalist Conference, tentative schedule of events, flight information and all you want to know about the conference are available at our web site www.rationalistinternational.net. A downloadable registration form is also available at the web site.
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