Friday, 24 January 2014

Entry #1 - January 24, 2013

Mentally Ill Man Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy

By The Associated Press

A young Christian girl accused of blasphemy is led towards a helicopter following her release from central prison on the outskirts of Rawalpindi, Pakistan in this file photo from Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012. Scores of people have been arrested in Pakistan under the country’s harsh blasphemy laws.


             A mentally ill man from Britain, by the name of Mohammed Asgar, has been sentenced to death today in Pakistan due to his conviction of blasphemy. He was arrested in 2010 in Pakistan for claiming to be the one and only Prophet Muhhamad, a sacred figure of the Muslim culture believed to be the last prophet sent by God for mankind. After his arrest, Asgar was treated for paranoid schizophrenia, and it was determined he did indeed have this mental illness. Asgar's lawyers are extremely worried about his mental state, especially being trapped inside a prison, and find it extremely unfair to sentence a man to death simply for claiming he is someone he's not, due to his mental illness. They have, and will continue to fight aggressively against the court for Asgar’s release, and for them to drop all charges on grounds of mental health.

         I side with the lawyers on this one, as I feel it is incredibly unfair, and unjustly harsh that this poor man has been sentenced to death for saying things that he can't control, nor help. Schizophrenia is a very serious mental illness, and due to his illness most things Asgar said should be taken with a grain of salt. I don't believe he was trying to disrespect, deceive, or harm anyone, and I feel that there is no reason to send him to prison, or sentence him to death. The only valid solution I see is for Asgar to be put in a mental institution where he can receive the help and security he deserves. Where his opinions, thoughts, views, and outbursts will not cause anyone harm, and will keep him out of trouble with the law.

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