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CNN Report
An 11-year-old Christian Pakistani girl could face the death penalty under the country's notorious blasphemy laws, after she was accused by her neighbours of deliberately burning sacred text, possibly the Quran.
The police, initially unwilling to take action, eventually charged the girl with blasphemy and took her into custody. The rest of the community, including her parents, fled.
There is disagreement about exactly what was burned. Some say it was a small pocket book of Qur'anic verses. Others claim it was pages of the Qur'an. "I looked at it but did not know exactly what it was but I could see it had words written in Arabic," a witness said. Authorities concede that no one actually saw her burning anything as the offence allegedly happened inside the house, and she was caught while finding somewhere to throw away the remains.
Another issue pertains to the girls health. Local news report that she has Down Syndrome but the Muslim community disagrees. "She is a completely normal girl," says one representative. As the largely male and grownup crowd gathered outside the house, a girl who said she knew Rifta said she did behave oddly – she talked to herself and walked in a peculiar way.
The other point of general agreement is that "the law should be followed". Unfortunately, the law in question is Pakistan's blasphemy law, which has a proven track record of ensnaring people on the flimsiest of evidence and being cynically used to intimidate communities or settle quarrels over money and property.
Three things:
1. She is a minor
2. She may have a mental condition
3. There is not proof beyond reasonable doubt that it was a Quran that she burned
These should be more than enough to let her free.
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which has a proven track record of ensnaring people on the flimsiest of evidence and being cynically used to intimidate communities or settle quarrels over money and property.
Whoa, anyone else get Deja Vu of those witchhunting laws?
Those were true blasphemy laws, I followed those laws before the Islamic community copy us Christians/Catholics.
Hipster 4 life
On a related note: What saddens me to the most is her family fled. Just so many justificatons to think of why they left, but the reality of them leaving is also heart-breaking.
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let's hope the 17th century catches them up soon
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On August 21 2012 04:56 Ra`s Al Ghul wrote:CNN ReportAn 11-year-old Christian Pakistani girl could face the death penalty under the country's notorious blasphemy laws, after she was accused by her neighbours of deliberately burning sacred text, possibly the Quran. .
As far as I can tell from this article the child hasn't been convicted yet or had a trial even so why is this being reported by CNN other than the shock value to generate hits/views?
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I don't think the girl will be harmed, but the incident clearly shows how backwards oriented many people in Pakistan are. If I would be Christian I would definately leave the town for some time, lynchmobs might be looking for retaliation.
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What more are you going to expect from a third world country?
"Innocent until proven guilty" ???
Oh please..
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On August 21 2012 05:00 reki- wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2012 04:56 Ra`s Al Ghul wrote:CNN ReportAn 11-year-old Christian Pakistani girl could face the death penalty under the country's notorious blasphemy laws, after she was accused by her neighbours of deliberately burning sacred text, possibly the Quran. . As far as I can tell from this article the child hasn't been convicted yet or had a trial even so why is this being reported by CNN other than the shock value to generate hits/views?
The authorities just try to save the girl from the mob who wants to see her burn. In german news they said that the police also arrested her family to make sure they are safe. The assumed mental condition seems to be the authority's way to prevent punishment
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Please, like there aren't any places in the western world where a kid would burn a bible or something wouldn't be shunned by the community.
Total news value of this is "omg pakistan weird muslims" [edit] although i agree the public reaction is ridiculous to say the least but you have to understand that most of those people live and die by their religion and haven't had any eduction most likely other than from their religious leaders..
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On August 21 2012 05:00 reki- wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2012 04:56 Ra`s Al Ghul wrote:CNN ReportAn 11-year-old Christian Pakistani girl could face the death penalty under the country's notorious blasphemy laws, after she was accused by her neighbours of deliberately burning sacred text, possibly the Quran. . As far as I can tell from this article the child hasn't been convicted yet or had a trial even so why is this being reported by CNN other than the shock value to generate hits/views?
Because they are journalists. That means they do not generate hits/views, as you think. That industry is not completely about money.
What they do is generate interest and attention, possibly saving that girls life.
You ever noticed how most people stop attacking others while demonstrating when they get filmed? Same principle, but you wouldn't know about demonstrations I guess...
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United States7483 Posts
On August 21 2012 05:04 reki- wrote:
Please, like there aren't any places in the western world where a kid would burn a bible or something wouldn't be shunned by the community.
Total news value of this is "omg pakistan weird muslims"
You might be shunned, but it's pretty rare in the western world where the person would face the death penalty over it.
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On August 21 2012 05:02 Enzymatic wrote:
What more are you going to expect from a third world country?
a third world country with nuclear weapons...
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Laws or any other rules shouldn't cause a girls death at all. Children in general are innoccent because they don't even know the law. Would be sad ,if she realy dies because of that.
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 i guess you don't know about modern press either
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On August 21 2012 05:04 reki- wrote:
Please, like there aren't any places in the western world where a kid would burn a bible or something wouldn't be shunned by the community.
Total news value of this is "omg pakistan weird muslims" [edit] although i agree the public reaction is ridiculous to say the least but you have to understand that most of those people live and die by their religion and haven't had any eduction most likely other than from their religious leaders..
Nowhere would she face charges for burning bible at home.
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On August 21 2012 05:00 reki- wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2012 04:56 Ra`s Al Ghul wrote:CNN ReportAn 11-year-old Christian Pakistani girl could face the death penalty under the country's notorious blasphemy laws, after she was accused by her neighbours of deliberately burning sacred text, possibly the Quran. . As far as I can tell from this article the child hasn't been convicted yet or had a trial even so why is this being reported by CNN other than the shock value to generate hits/views?
Because it's CNN and they would never pass up a story like this. Hell no news group would. This kind of story brings people to your site, generates hits on your ads, makes you money.
I do not know Pakistans judical system at all so I'm just gonna pray for this girls sake that its fair, unbiased, and logical. That should be enough to get her out safe and alive
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On August 21 2012 05:04 reki- wrote:
Please, like there aren't any places in the western world where a kid would burn a bible or something wouldn't be shunned by the community.
Total news value of this is "omg pakistan weird muslims"
I can assure you that to the best of my knowledge there are no laws in the "west" that permit someone to be legally put to death for burning a holy text.
I hope you are trolling.
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Poor girl.
If she never attended school, how did she know what was written on this thing she burned? She would have no way of knowing if it was a Quran or not.
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On August 21 2012 05:08 mcc wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2012 05:04 reki- wrote:
Please, like there aren't any places in the western world where a kid would burn a bible or something wouldn't be shunned by the community.
Total news value of this is "omg pakistan weird muslims" [edit] although i agree the public reaction is ridiculous to say the least but you have to understand that most of those people live and die by their religion and haven't had any eduction most likely other than from their religious leaders.. Nowhere would she face charges for burning bible at home.
And she would not really be shunned. At least in Germany most people would not care.
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This seems overly sensationalist. Honestly though, I never get the obsession with the quran some Muslims have. Say one wrong word about something they hold sacred and you should be punished, instead of them just learning to stop feeling so overly sensitive. It's like with the cartoonist that was threatened for making cartoons about Mohammed. It's like, out of everything wrong with the world, why would the tipping point be someone making fun of Islam? Why not instead get upset about violence and poverty?
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This is beyond fucked up.
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EPT
