UPDATE: ACLJ Speaks With Shahzad Masih, a Young Christian Currently Sentenced To Hang for Blasphemy in Pakistan

Innocent Christian Shahzad Masih was arrested on fabricated blasphemy charges in July 2017 when he was 16 years old. Despite the lack of any evidence against him, Shahzad was sentenced to hang. He just turned 24 on death row in a Pakistani prison.

This young Christian has already lost eight years of his life behind bars for a “crime” that even the local Pakistani authorities admitted in court he had not committed. Now he will die unless we take urgent action to save him.

Our legal team on the ground in Pakistan has been working tirelessly to have Shahzad’s appeal heard and see his conviction and death sentence overturned.

I traveled to Pakistan to meet with our legal team about his case and prepare for the upcoming argument in court. I just spoke directly to Shahzad by telephone only days after his birthday. He said that he’s doing well, praying constantly, and engaged in a Bible study in the prison with fellow Christians. I also informed Shahzad that thousands of Christians are praying for him.

As we’ve told you previously, Shahzad’s only “crime” was that he told his Muslim co-worker that his father’s Muslim friend used derogatory words whenever he found out anyone’s name had Muhammad in it. And Shahzad only said this when Ishtiaq Ahmed, his Muslim co-worker, had brought up the topic of religion, and in merely making conversation, Shahzad told him that he really didn’t know much about religion in general. After Ishtiaq told Shahzad about the Muslim prophets, including the Prophet Muhammad, Shahzad mentioned his father’s friend. That was all.

But a radical Muslim group fabricated the charges of blasphemy against Shahzad and pressured the judge to pass down the maximum penalty – death by hanging.

Recently, we renewed our application with Pakistan’s High Court, requesting that his appeal be heard sooner. This is the fourth application we have filed. Finally, the court agreed and set a date to hear the appeal in late October.

In our conversation, Shahzad also mentioned that his sister is getting married this coming December, and he is hopeful that the court will overturn his conviction and set him free in time to attend the special family event. That would surely be the greatest wedding gift Shahzad’s sister could receive.

As we prepare to go back to court in Pakistan to defend Shahzad’s life, we ask that you please continue to pray for our legal team as well as for the judges to see the injustice and rule to save this innocent young Christian’s life. And finally, please pray for Shahzad Masih and his family.