Pakistan's Supreme Court Upholds Blasphemy Death Sentence for Christian, Frees His Brother
Qaisar Ayub remains on death row while his brother Amoon walks free after about 10 years in prison; their lawyers plan to ask the court to reconsider.
See where this is ›ISLAMABAD, Pakistan —
The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Oct. 7 upheld the death sentence of Qaisar Ayub, a Christian convicted under the country's blasphemy laws, while acquitting his brother, Amoon Ayub, according to Fox News and Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
See where this is ›Qaisar Ayub was charged under Section 295-C of Pakistan's penal code over online material said to insult Islam's Prophet Muhammad. CeCe Heil, senior counsel and international legal director at the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), told Fox News that Qaisar was arrested after a WordPress site displayed the brothers' contact information alongside the material, and that Amoon was arrested in 2015. Heil said prosecutors never showed that either brother was connected to the blog.
Both brothers were sentenced to death in 2018, and the Lahore High Court rejected their appeal in 2022. After 13 postponed hearings, the Supreme Court found the evidence against Qaisar sufficient but ruled that Amoon's involvement had not been proven, and ordered his release after about 10 years behind bars.
See where this is ›Heil described blasphemy hearings where crowds gather outside and pressure judges, and said the ruling could affect everyone jailed on blasphemy charges, including at least three other clients of the ACLJ's Pakistani affiliate, the Organization for Legal Aid. She said work continues to keep Amoon safe from reprisals.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Fox News the United States “is concerned about religious freedom in Pakistan and throughout the world.” Pakistan's embassy in Washington did not respond to Fox News. Earlier this year, Pakistan's government said such cases belong to the courts and that the executive branch may not intervene in individual cases.
The Organization for Legal Aid plans to file a review petition asking the Supreme Court to reconsider Qaisar's case, and to ask the government for help, including a presidential pardon. The ACLJ has also asked Morris Tidball-Binz, a United Nations special rapporteur, to step in. Pakistan ranks No. 8 on Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List of the hardest places to be a Christian.
What we don't know yet: Whether the court will agree to hear a review petition, and when. Reports differ on when the case began; Fox News, citing the ACLJ, said 2014. Watchman News has not independently confirmed the details of the case.
