On Wednesday, February 23, a Shia Muslim was given the death penalty and a fine of almost $3000 (PKR 500,000) for blasphemy charges. Court officials stated that Wasim Abbas, a minority Shia Muslim in Pakistan, has allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad.

Rana Sohail Tariq, a session judge for the Faisalabad court, handed the sentence to Abbas. Although the conviction was for the death penalty, a fine was included, triggering an additional two years imprisonment if not paid.

Before the sentencing, Abbas served a 2-year sentence. He was arrested in June 2020 in Faisalabad by the Factory Area police.

Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws have been a subject of great contention from human rights activists. Recently, a streak of blasphemy-related deaths and sentencing has plagued the dominantly Muslim country.

According to Amnesty International, Pakistan's blasphemy laws are volatile and often target religious minorities. A 2016 report by Amnesty International said that these blasphemy laws are broadly worded, leaving them open to abuse. Once a person is accused, they become entangled in a system and presumed guilty, the human rights watchdog said.

This month alone, two blasphemy allegations have ruined the lives of two individuals. On February 8, a Hindu teacher was sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad. A separate blasphemy accusation spun a mob to attack and kill a mentally disabled individual a few days after the sentencing.

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s prime minister, vowed that the mob lynching would be “dealt with the full severity of the law.”

In 2018, Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy, became the most high-profile blasphemy case after she was acquitted. Amnesty International called it a landmark verdict, although she had to flee the country to assure her safety.