Pakistan professor death sentence for blasphemy

Описание: (21 Dec 2019) A Pakistani court on Saturday convicted a Muslim professor of blasphemy, sentencing him to death for allegedly spreading anti-Islamic ideas.
Junaid Hafeez has been held for six years awaiting trial since he was arrested in 2013 for allegedly displaying blasphemous content while a visiting university lecturer in the city of Multan.
Hafeez has spent most of that time in solitary confinement because he would likely be killed if kept with the general population, local media have reported.
Due to security concerns, Saturday's trial was held inside the Multan jail where the professor is being held.
Defence attorney Abdul Ahad said the conviction was "baseless" and that the verdict would be appealed.
Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law carries an automatic death penalty for anyone accused of insulting God, Islam or other religious figures.
While authorities have yet to carry out a death sentence for blasphemy, even the mere accusation can cause riots.
Hafeez was also fined half a million Pakistani rupees (over $3,200) on Saturday.

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