US Family Steps Up To Support the Family of Our Christian Death Row Client in Pakistan

Last year we informed you about Ahsan Masih, a young Christian man who was sentenced to death for allegedly violating Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Ahsan was accused of reposting on the internet a picture of a page of the Quran that had been desecrated by someone else. Two Christian men who had been accused of desecrating that page had already been arrested prior to the allegation against Ahsan.

As we continue to fight for Ashan, a Christian family in the United States has stepped up to help Ahsan’s family in a very generous way. Before we share this update, let us give you some background on the case.

In August 2023, an angry mob in Pakistan burned down over 20 churches and 80 homes of Christians in Jaranwala after two Christian brothers were accused of desecrating the Quran. The evidence presented to the police by some Muslims was a page from the Quran with handwriting on it. The police arrested the two brothers.

People from the mob took pictures and made videos of the attack in Jaranwala, shared them with others, and posted them on social media. A picture of the alleged evidence – the desecrated page of the Quran – also circulated with the pictures and videos of the attack on the Christian community. Thousands of people received those pictures and videos and forwarded them to others or reposted them on social media.

Three days later, however, police arrested Ahsan Masih, a 26-year-old Christian man, for allegedly reposting the photo of the desecrated page of the Quran on TikTok and charged him under sections 295-A, 295-B, 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), and section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Section 295-A of the PPC prescribes a 10-year imprisonment for passing derogatory remarks against the Islamic prophets, section 295-B prescribes life imprisonment for desecrating a copy of the Quran, and section 295-C prescribes the death penalty for making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Muhammad.

Our affiliate in Pakistan, the Organization for Legal Aid (OLA), took on Ahsan’s case. After the trial, the Anti-Terrorism Court sentenced Ahsan to death by hanging.

Ahsan used to work at a brick kiln and was the only support for his mother. Ahsan’s older brother, who is married and has children, also works at a brick kiln and can hardly support his own family. With Ashan on death row in prison, it became very difficult for his brother to support the entire family, including his mom.

After learning about Ahsan’s case and OLA’s other two clients, Shahzad Masih and Amoon Ayub (both also on death row), a Christian family reached out to us and asked how they could help these men and their families. Ahsan’s brother informed us that if he had a small truck to be able to transport bricks, he would be in a better position to earn a better living and support his mother.

The Christian family in the U.S. provided funds to buy the truck as a Christmas gift for Ahsan’s family. Ahsan, his mom, and their entire family are thankful for this kindness.

At the same time, the OLA team is putting together a petition to ask the High Court to hear Ahsan’s appeal soon.

Please continue to remember OLA’s death row clients – Ahsan, Shahzad, and Amoon – and pray for their safety and swift release from prison as well as provision for their families. While these men are in prison, they continue to hold strong to their faith and have formed a Bible study.