(MENAFN- Arab Times) The husband of a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy four years ago has written to the president to ask for her to be pardoned and allowed to move to France. Asia Bibi has been on death row since November 2010 after she was found guilty of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) during an argument with a Muslim woman.
A high court in the eastern city of Lahore confirmed the death sentence last month, dashing hopes it might be commuted to a jail term. "We are convinced that Asia will only be saved from being hanged if the venerable President (Mamnoon) Hussain grants her a pardon. No one should be killed for drinking a glass of water," husband Ashiq Masih wrote in an open letter dated Nov 17 and published by the New York Times.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has said the couple are welcomed in the city, and Masih quoted his wife as saying she sent her "deepest thanks to you Madame Mayor, and to all the kind people of Paris and across the world". Masih added his wife was not guilty of blasphemy.
The plea for being allowed to move to Paris comes days after the mayor of the city Anne Hidalgo requested President Hussain to grant her a pardon. Senior opposition leader Bruno Retailleau Wednesday asked French President Francois Hollande to intervene in the case. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in the majority Muslim country, with even unproven allegations often prompting mob violence.
Masih, 50, lives in hiding with two of his five children and has to keep his identity secret as he scrapes together a living as a daily labourer.
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