Asia Bibi, the Catholic woman condemned to death under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, has had her conviction overturned by the Supreme Court in Pakistan.
The judge has told her she is free to go immediately. In 2009 Asia Bibi, who worked as a farmhand in Pakistan, was charged with blasphemy against Islam and condemned to death after a dispute over water during which she was accused of blasphemy by two co-workers.
A spokesperson for the Bishops’ Conference said:
“We give thanks that justice has been served and Asia Bibi has been freed so she is finally able to rejoin her family.
“People across the world have been praying for her release over these years that she has been imprisoned and these prayers have been answered. May our Lord bless and protect Asia and her family. We now pray for peace for all in Pakistan, particularly those Christians and other minorities under threat from extremists.”
