Concern Over Pakistan Christians Behind Bars Since 2001

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – A major human rights group in Pakistan has demanded the immediate release from prison of Christian Anwar Kenneth, who it says has been arbitrarily detained on trumped-up blasphemy charges for over 20 years and faces the death penalty.

LEAD Ministries Pakistan told Worthy News on Monday that it has “deep concerns over Kenneth’s prolonged detention on death row, raising significant questions about his mental health and the fairness of his trial.”

Kenneth, a former government official, was arrested in 2001 after being accused of sending offensive letters containing “defamatory” remarks directed at religious leaders, diplomats, and heads of state.

“These letters led to the filing of a [first information report] FIR at the Gawalmandi Police Station in [the city of] Lahore, eventually resulting in his conviction under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, a controversial law criminalizing blasphemy,” LEAD recalled.

“On July 18, 2002, the Lahore Additional Sessions Court found Kenneth guilty of “defaming” and “insulting” the Prophet Muhammad, sentencing him to death and imposing a fine of 500,000 Pakistani rupees (about $1,800).

Christians told Worthy News that Kenneth’s case has been plagued by delays and procedural complications since his conviction, with his appeal process repeatedly postponed.

“Over the years, his health—both mental and physical—has significantly deteriorated, intensifying concerns over his prolonged incarceration. In 2024, a psychiatric assessment confirmed that Kenneth was suffering from Bipolar Affective Disorder and was in a hypomanic state,” said LEAD founder Sardar Mushtaq Gill.

MEDICAL REVIEW

He told Worthy News that a medical committee reviewing his case recommended that he be immediately admitted to the Punjab Institute of Mental Health for specialized treatment.

According to LEAD investigators, Kenneth was transferred from Faisalabad Central Jail to Lahore Central Jail in December 2024 for evaluation, underscoring the urgency of his medical condition.

It came after the Supreme Court of Pakistan began reviewing Kenneth’s case. On January 24, 2023, a three-judge panel instructed the Pakistan Bar Council of lawyers to provide Kenneth with legal counsel to ensure a fair trial, trial observers told Worthy News.

In March 2024, following the appointment of his defense lawyer, the Supreme Court “sought input from various religious institutions, further complicating the legal process,” LEAD said.

“Despite these steps, the lengthy delays have caused ongoing suffering for Kenneth and his family, who have endured emotional hardship for years. His family continues to advocate for his release and the pursuit of justice.”

LEAD said it “has now called on authorities to expedite the review of Kenneth’s case and address the serious human rights concerns. The organization is urging the Supreme Court to take immediate action to release Kenneth, stressing that continued delays and his deteriorating mental health are unacceptable.”

Human rights advocates worldwide rallied behind Kenneth’s cause, “demanding a fair and transparent legal process that considers both his medical condition and the irregularities surrounding his trial,” the group added.

FATE UNCERTAIN

As the legal process continues, “the fate of Anwar Kenneth remains uncertain. His case stands as a poignant reminder of the intersection of legal, religious, and human rights challenges in Pakistan,” Gill told Worthy News.

Additionally, LEAD said the case underscored that it was crucial that “all those accused of blasphemy and suffering in Pakistani jails be granted speedy justice, highlighting the broader issue of fairness and human rights for all individuals facing such accusations.”

LEAD separately emphasized the urgent need to address the exploitation of women, including Christians, “in the manipulation of blasphemy laws” in the Islamic Asian nation.

Recent reports have surfaced “indicating that women are being coerced or manipulated into falsely implicating individuals for personal vendettas, financial gain, or other malicious intentions. This form of “honey-trapping” undermines the integrity of the legal system and subjects innocent individuals to grave injustice.”

The statement came as new details emerged in recent days about an Islamist gang trapping more than 450 people in false blasphemy charges, including five who have tortured to death in custody, according to human rights lawyers.

The “blasphemy business group” devastated numerous families with the collusion of federal investigators, said attorneys Usman Warraich, Imaan Hazir-Mazari, and Rana Abdul Hameed.

As frequent targets of blasphemy accusations, Christians in Pakistan are at serious risk of being victimized by the group, rights lawyers said.

BLASPHEMOUS CONTENT

The Islamist group shares blasphemous content online and then files false charges, blackmailing the families of those accused for large sums of money, the attorneys said.

Investigators said most of the victims belonged to lower-income or middle-class levels. More than 150 victims of the “blasphemy racket” are being held in Adiala District Jail; 170 in District Camp Jail and Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore; and 55 in Karachi Central Jail, Warraich said.

The gang recruited young men and women who befriended people on social media and lured them to a “safe-house” in the G-8 Sector of Islamabad, he said.

“Several young victims honey-trapped by this gang have revealed that when they came to the said house, they were stripped naked and tortured by the gang members who also videotaped their ordeal,” Warraich added in published remarks.

“There are about 25-30 people associated with this gang who become plaintiffs after trapping youths from all over Pakistan. Each plaintiff is involved in trapping more than 20 youths.”

Five Muslims, including a 22-year-old woman, Fatima Jahangir, were subjected to inhumane torture that ultimately led to their tragic deaths, he said.

“An orphan boy named Syed Ali Hasnain was killed in Adiala Jail. A young man from Rawalpindi, Syed Abdullah Shah, was tortured and murdered by this group in collaboration with the FIA,” Warraich stressed.

“Fatima Jahangir died in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, while another 22-year-old boy, Safeer Ullah, lost his life in Camp Jail, Lahore.”

YOUTH TORTURES

Another youth named Suhan Khan was tortured to death in Karachi Central Jail within three to four days, he told reporters.

Khan added that the Islamist gang publicly celebrates whenever a court denies bail or convicts a victim.

“Celebrations include distributing sweets, garlanding members, and gifting swords to each other, and the videos are widely circulated on social media,” the attorney recalled.

“They also share the names and addresses of the victim families and their lawyers on social media to intimidate them.”

LEAD said it “calls for immediate and decisive measures to prevent such abuses.”

It was also important “to ensure that the blasphemy laws are not weaponized for personal or political agendas, safeguarding the rights of all individuals and preventing exploitation for the benefit of others,” the group stressed.

Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.