Pak court sentences Christian youth to death over blasphemy charge

A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced to death and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on a Christian youth for committing blasphemy.

According to a court official, the district and sessions court (Bahawalpur) awarded capital punishment to Nauman Masih, 19, after the prosecution presented evidence and witnesses against him.

Masih, a resident of Islami Colony Bahwalpur, some 400 kilometres from Lahore, was arrested four years ago by police on a complaint that he had shared blasphemous material on a messaging app.

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"The prosecutors presented the forensic record of Masih's cellphone which proved that he shared the blasphemous content through WhatsApp. Besides some witnesses were also presented in the court," the official said.

The court also imposed a Rs 20,000 fine.

Pakistan is among the countries where blasphemy is punishable by death. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in the country, where even unproven allegations can stir mobs and violence.

In many instances, the accused are killed by mobs even before the commencement of legal proceedings.