ASIA/PAKISTAN - Rimsha: Hearing for the release, the focus is on the Medical Commission

Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - "The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance" (APMA), through the lawyer and Christian MP Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, today presented to a court of first instance in Islamabad a request for the release of Rimsha Masih, the 11-year-old Christian girl, who suffers from Down's syndrome, arrested for blasphemy. This is confirmed to Fides by Paul Bhatti, president of APMA and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister for National Harmony. Rimsha is accused of burning pages of the book of religious education for children, containing verses from the Qur'an. As reported to Fides, the hearing is scheduled for August 28 and it is hoped that the girl will be released: the defense focuses on the creation of a special medical commission that, in the coming days can ascertain the young girl’s minor age (according to some radical groups she is 16) and certify the Trisomy 21, of which she is affected. "These elements - explains Bhatti - can give the court the power to cancel the charge". The demand, therefore, is not security, but directly the release of the girl.
Bhatti also condemns the behavior of the NGO "World Vision in Progress Foundation," which yesterday presented at the same court a request for bail, but without the official commission from the victim’s family, creating "ambiguity and confusion." According to Bhatti, the judge annulled the previous request from the NGO. "These organizations try to exploit and commercialize these tragic cases," he adds. Also according to Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf, Director of the Commission "Justice and Peace" of the Episcopal Conference, "The request of bail is not a good idea, since it exposes the girl to the danger of a small extrajudicial killing." A final release, however, would also open the possibility of her transfer abroad. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 24/08/2012)