Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 11:54:04 -0400
From: busterhl@centerforinquiry.net (BusterHL)
Subject: URGENT ALERT. Dr. Shaikh sentenced to death for blasphemy.


Diana Brown, a humanist and human-rights activist, has written the following
letter to the London Times.

As from: Rue des Crts 193
CH 1037 Etagnires
Switzerland
Email: dianabrown@hotmail.com

The Editor
The Times

FOR PUBLICATION

Dear Sir, 

On 18th August in Pakistan, Dr Younus Shaikh, a medical lecturer, was
convicted of blasphemy and sntenced to death. 

His crime? He is alleged to have made derogatory remarks about the Prophet,
namely that neither Muhammad nor his parents could have been Muslims before
the Prophet received his revelation from Allah. To most of us, this would
appear to be simple common sense. He is also alleged to have said that
before becoming a Muslim, the Prophet would not be likely to have been
circumcised or to have shaved his armpits.

Dr Shaikh does not remember even saying so much, but simply having ansered
questions in his class about the practices of the Prophet's tribe. In any
case, by calling his alleged remarks blasphemy, his accusers show their
ignorance of true Islam. They appear to be trying to make the Prophet into a
divine figure, to whom no normal humanity can be attributed, expressly
against the teachings of the Qur'an.

His trial and conviction are a travesty of justice. As usual, in such
trials, the court was packed with menacing fundamentalists. One of the
prosecution witnesses was completely discredited, since it emerged that he
had not been present in class on the day when Dr Shaikh was alleged to have
committed the offence.

Hundreds of people have been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan, among them
moderate Muslims, Christians and members of other religious minorities. The
law is extremely ill-defined, so that no-one knows beforehand if he or she
is committing an offence. People acquitted of blasphemy have often been
killed by mobs, and judges are subject to intimidation. The Minister for
Religious Affairs is on record as saying that most blasphemy prosecutions
originate from "ill will and personal prejudice". There is no doubt that the
existence of the law and its operation in practice constitute an abuse of
human rights.

Pakistan nurtured the appalling Taleban of Afghanistan. The increasing power
of similar fundamentalists in Pakistan gives cause for concern that the
country could follow the same path as Afghanistan. I hope that moderate
Muslims in Britain and all who care for human righs will join the campaign
to save Dr Shaikh.

Yours faithfully

Diana Brown