Half a million support online petition to free Asia Bibi

More than half a million people have joined an online signature campaign started by a British woman to save Asia Bibi, the Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy.  In her petition on change.org, a social action website, university student Emily Clarke says Asia Bibi, who was condemned to death in November 2010, was alleged to have blasphemed Islam after co-workers objected to her drinking out of their water glasses because of her Christian faith. 

Following a recent surge in support, 572,000 people have signed Clarke’s petition, addressed to UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary John Hammond, with the total mounting by the minute.  “The latest increase is incredible – and shows that people have not forgotten Asia Bibi even though she was sentenced to death over four years ago, for a crime she steadfastly denies,” Clarke told the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.  She alluded to two outstanding politicians, Salman Tazeer, the governor of the Punjab Province, and Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic and national minorities’ minister, who were shot dead for standing up for Asia Bibi and calling for the reform of Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws.  “This makes it more important than ever that the international community stands together to show our support for Asia and for the people putting their lives at risk to save her,” Clarke said.

Earlier, a million people signed a petition started by Clarke calling on governments around the world to stand up for Meriam Ibrahim, a Christian woman sentenced to death in Sudan.  The verdict was eventually overturned and she was reunited with her husband and children.  (Source: UCAN)