Blasphemy Laws

The Latest

Nigerian Christian mother of five Rhoda Jatau was acquitted of blasphemy charges after a two-and-a-half-year legal battle.

Major religious freedom win for Nigeria: Christian mother acquitted of blasphemy charges 

Dec 20, 2024

By Madalaine Elhabbal

Rhoda Jatau was arrested by Nigerian authorities on May 20, 2022, after forwarding a video of a Muslim denouncing the... Read more

Burkinabé soldiers patrol in Ouagadougou after the January 2022 coup.

Persecution of Christians worldwide has gotten worse, papal charity report says

Oct 22, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The Aid to the Church in Need report, which covers August 2022 to June 2024, states that human rights violations... Read more

The archbishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Joseph Arshad, addresses the persecuted Christian community of Jaranwala in August 2023. Twenty-one Catholic churches, Bibles, and family homes were set on fire.

Pakistani woman sentenced to death for allegedly blaspheming Muhammed

Oct 3, 2024

By Andrés Henríquez

A Christian mother of four has been sentenced to death by a judge in Pakistan for allegedly spreading blasphemous messages... Read more

Several mobs attacked Christian communities and set fire to several churches Aug. 16, 2023, in the town of Jaranwala, in Pakistan’s Faisalabad district, after two Christians were accused of defiling the Quran.

Pakistan: One year later, Jaranwala Christians await justice

Aug 16, 2024

By AC Wimmer

One year after the Jaranwala riots, Christian communities in Pakistan still face injustice and persecution under the country’s controversial blasphemy... Read more

Ed Clancy, the director of outreach at the charity group Aid to the Church in Need, speaks with “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Tracy Sabol on July 3, 2024.

Christians face ‘devastating’ persecution under Pakistani blasphemy laws, expert says

Jul 5, 2024

By Kate Quiñones

A court in Punjab recently sentenced Ehsan Shan to death for sharing “hateful content” against Muslims on social media.  Read more

Catholics attend Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Lahore, on Aug. 20, 2023, four days after mob attacked several Pakistani churches over blasphemy allegations. More than 80 Christian homes and 19 churches were vandalized when hundreds rampaged through a Christian neighbourhood in Jaranwala in Punjab province on Aug. 16.

Church responds to mob attack on Christians in Pakistan

May 31, 2024

By Aftab Alexander Mughal

After the recent attack on Christians in Sargodha, Church officials strongly condemned the incident. Read more

Pakistanis protest Nov. 2, 2018, in Lahore, shortly after the nation's supreme court acquitted Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges.

Pakistan’s legislature passes bill to increase blasphemy penalties to life in prison 

Aug 15, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

The legislation would set a maximum penalty of life in prison for blasphemy with a minimum sentence of 10 years... Read more

Pakistanis protest Nov. 2, 2018, in Lahore, shortly after the nation's supreme court acquitted Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges.

Pakistan tightens its already far-reaching blasphemy laws

Jan 23, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

Insulting the Prophet Muhammad is already a capital offense in Pakistan. Under the newest legal changes, those convicted will now... Read more

CNA

Nigerian mother charged with blasphemy for defending murdered Christian student

Dec 20, 2022

By Peter Pinedo

Rhoda Jatau was arrested after forwarding a video of a Muslim denouncing the mob killing of Nigerian Christian college student... Read more

Map of Nigeria.

Nigerian musician files lawsuit with Supreme Court challenging blasphemy conviction

Dec 16, 2022

By Jonah McKeown

ADF International says the appeal has the potential to overturn Northern Nigeria’s blasphemy laws. Read more

The Supreme Court of Pakistan in Islamabad.

Pakistan’s top court grants bail to Christian facing blasphemy charge

Jan 10, 2022

By CNA Staff

A lawyer hailed the decision as ‘a very important ruling.’ Read more

Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel with three of their children after being released from death row in Pakistan July 1, 2021

After 7 years on death row in Pakistan, Christian couple granted asylum in Europe

Aug 13, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

A Pakistani Christian couple are "relieved to finally be free" after more than seven years on death row for false... Read more

Catholic woman with schizophrenia being held for blasphemy in Indonesia 

Jul 8, 2019

A mentally ill woman who identified herself as a Catholic is being held for blasphemy in Indonesia after an incident... Read more

Ashiq Mesih and Eisham Ashiq, Asia Bibi's husband and daughter in Rome April 15, 2015.

Asia Bibi leaves Pakistan, arrives in Canada

May 8, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

Asia Bibi, the Catholic wife and mother who spent 9 years on death row on blasphemy charges in Pakistan, has... Read more

Ashiq Mesih and Eisham Ashiq, Asia Bibi's husband and daughter, speak to CNA in Rome, April 15, 2015.

Court dismisses challenge to Asia Bibi blasphemy acquittal

Jan 29, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

A petition to overturn last year’s acquittal of blasphemy charges against Catholic wife and mother Asia Bibi was dismissed by... Read more

A young girl lights a candle at a Marian grotto in Pakistan.

A look at blasphemy laws around the world

Nov 14, 2018

By Courtney Mares

While the world awaits the fate of Asia Bibi, who remains in hiding in Pakistan following the acquittal of her... Read more

Ashiq Mesih and Eisham Ashiq, Asia Bibi's husband and daughter, speak to CNA in Rome, April 15, 2015.

Asia Bibi's husband begs US to offer asylum

Nov 5, 2018

The husband of the Pakistani Catholic woman who was recently acquitted of blasphemy charges is asking several Western nations to... Read more

The office of the Taoiseach in Dublin, Ireland.

Irish voters remove blasphemy punishment from constitution

Oct 26, 2018

Exit polls indicated Irish voters were expected to repeal the Republic of Ireland’s constitutional prohibition against blasphemy, with close to... Read more

Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imarn Khan.

Pakistan elects former cricketer, supporter of blasphemy laws

Jul 27, 2018

Imran Khan has emerged as the victor in a general election held in Pakistan Wednesday, July 25. The professional cricket... Read more

The site where the Christian couple were lynched at a brick factory in Pakistan's Punjab province in November 2014. Photo courtesy of Legal Evangelical Association Development.

In Pakistan, 13 sentenced over lynching of Christian couple

Nov 30, 2016

Five men in Pakistan's Punjab province were sentenced to death last week for their leading role in the November 2014... Read more