Vol. 449 No. 7
76 Mr. E. Byrne asked the asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the impending execution in Pakistan of 14 year old Salamat Masih who was sentenced to death for blasphemy; and if he will make representations to the Government of Pakistan in view of Salamat Masih's young age. [
I was aware that on 9 February 14 year old Salamat Masih, who was 11 years of age at the time of the alleged offence, was sentenced to death under Pakistan's blasphemy law. I am glad to say that on 23 February the Lahore High Court overturned both his conviction and his sentence and ordered his release.
The Irish Government urged action by the European Union on the case of Salamat Masih from the time the news of his death sentence became available. The European Union made representations in Islamabad to the Government of Pakistan, expressing its grave concern at the sentence and appealing for it not to be carried out. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ms. Benazir Bhutto, publicly expressed her deep shock and unhappiness with the verdict.
The Deputy will recall that Prime Minister Bhutto paid an official visit to Ireland from 29 June to 1 July 1994. It was clear on that occasion that the current Pakistani Government is committed to reforming the blasphemy law, which was introduced during the military dictatorship of General Zia.
