A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the release of a Christian married couple sentenced to death for blasphemy, lawyers said, weeks after the European Parliament blasted the country over the case.

Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar were jailed in 2014 after being convicted of sending a text message insulting the Prophet Mohammed, despite both being illiterate.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-obsession-with-blasphemy-laws-leads-to-extrajudicial-killings-mob-violence-379868">Pakistan's obsession with blasphemy laws leads to extrajudicial killings, mob violence</a>

The couple's lawyer, Saif ul Malook, and prosecutor Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa, told AFP the pair had been acquitted on appeal.

"I am very happy that we were able to get the release of this couple who are some of the most helpless people in our society," said&nbsp;Malook, who expects them to be freed next week after the court orders are published.

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in&nbsp;Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam can face the death penalty and the whiff of even unproven allegations can lead to mob lynchings and vigilante murders.

Rights campaigners say accusations are often made to settle personal disputes.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-govt-decides-to-uphold-blasphemy-law-despite-european-parliaments-calls-for-review-382752">Pakistan govt decides to uphold blasphemy law despite European Parliament's calls for review</a>

Kausar and Emmanuel were convicted following a complaint by a shopkeeper who claimed to have seen the text message.

In April, the European Parliament voted through a motion condemning&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;for failing to protect religious minorities, including Ahmadis, Shiites, Hindus, Christians and Sikhs.

It said several dozen people are currently in prison on blasphemy charges.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/eu-expresses-concern-over-rising-blasphemy-cases-in-pakistan-381733">EU expresses concern over rising blasphemy cases in Pakistan</a>

"The situation in&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;continued to deteriorate in 2020 as the government systematically enforced blasphemy laws and failed to protect religious minorities from abuses," the resolution said.

Kausar and Emmanuel's case was of particular concern, it added, and urged the authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" overturn the death sentence.

The parliament also called for a review of&nbsp;Pakistan's GSP+ status, which removes import duties from products coming into the EU from developing countries in return for agreements on issues such as human rights and labour rights.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/europe-india-business-chamber-demands-suspension-of-gsp-status-to-pakistan-for-persecution-of-sikhs-hindus-and-christians-249695">Europe India Business Chamber demands suspension of GSP status to Pakistan for persecution of Sikhs, Hindus and Christians</a>

The couple comes from the town of Gojra, west of Lahore, which has a history of violence against the minority.&nbsp;

In 2009, a mob attacked a Christian neighbourhood there, burning 77 houses and killing at least seven people after rumours that a Koran had been desecrated.

Defence lawyer Malook also helped overturn the case against Asia Bibi, who drew international attention for being the first woman in&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;to be sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy.

The acquittal triggered violent protests by religious hardliners in 2018 and she later moved to Canada fearing for her life.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/has-islamophobia-become-a-political-tool-382813">Has Islamophobia become a political tool?</a>

Rights group Amnesty International said the verdict "highlights the urgent need to repeal the law".

"The authorities must now immediately provide Shafqat, Shagufta, their family and their lawyer Saiful Malook with adequate security," it said in a statement.

A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the release of a Christian married couple sentenced to death for blasphemy, lawyers said, weeks after the European Parliament blasted the country over the case.

A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the release of a Christian married couple sentenced to death for blasphemy, lawyers said, weeks after the European Parliament blasted the country over the case. Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar were jailed in 2014 after being convicted of sending a text message insulting the Prophet Mohammed, despite both being illiterate. Also Read | Pakistan's obsession with blasphemy laws leads to extrajudicial killings, mob violence The couple's lawyer, Saif ul Malook, and prosecutor Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa, told AFP the pair had been acquitted on appeal. "I am very happy that we were able to get the release of this couple who are some of the most helpless people in our society," said Malook, who expects them to be freed next week after the court orders are published. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam can face the death penalty and the whiff of even unproven allegations can lead to mob lynchings and vigilante murders. Rights campaigners say accusations are often made to settle personal disputes. Also Read | Pakistan govt decides to uphold blasphemy law despite European Parliament's calls for review Kausar and Emmanuel were convicted following a complaint by a shopkeeper who claimed to have seen the text message. In April, the European Parliament voted through a motion condemning Pakistan for failing to protect religious minorities, including Ahmadis, Shiites, Hindus, Christians and Sikhs. It said several dozen people are currently in prison on blasphemy charges. Also Read | EU expresses concern over rising blasphemy cases in Pakistan "The situation in Pakistan continued to deteriorate in 2020 as the government systematically enforced blasphemy laws and failed to protect religious minorities from abuses," the resolution said. Kausar and Emmanuel's case was of particular concern, it added, and urged the authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" overturn the death sentence. The parliament also called for a review of Pakistan's GSP+ status, which removes import duties from products coming into the EU from developing countries in return for agreements on issues such as human rights and labour rights. Also Read | Europe India Business Chamber demands suspension of GSP status to Pakistan for persecution of Sikhs, Hindus and Christians The couple comes from the town of Gojra, west of Lahore, which has a history of violence against the minority. In 2009, a mob attacked a Christian neighbourhood there, burning 77 houses and killing at least seven people after rumours that a Koran had been desecrated. Defence lawyer Malook also helped overturn the case against Asia Bibi, who drew international attention for being the first woman in Pakistan to be sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy. The acquittal triggered violent protests by religious hardliners in 2018 and she later moved to Canada fearing for her life. Also Read | Has Islamophobia become a political tool? Rights group Amnesty International said the verdict "highlights the urgent need to repeal the law". "The authorities must now immediately provide Shafqat, Shagufta, their family and their lawyer Saiful Malook with adequate security," it said in a statement.

Death sentence for Pakistani Christian pair dropped after EU criticism

A Pakistani court sentenced one person to death and five others to life imprisonment on Wednesday for lynching a student accused of blasphemy, a crime which sent shockwaves through the conservative Muslim country.

Mashal Khan, 23, was stripped, beaten and shot by a gang made up mostly of students last April before being thrown from the second floor of his dormitory at Abdul Wali Khan University in the northwestern city of Mardan.

&quot;One of the accused has been awarded a death sentence, (five) were given life imprisonment while 26 have been acquitted,&quot; Saad Abbasi, a defence lawyer, said at the prison where the verdict was announced.

An additional 25 were given three-year sentences, he added, saying he planned to file an appeal against the decision.

The court sentenced Imran Sultan Mohammad to death over his role in shooting Khan during the lynching, a crime he confessed to earlier.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ahead of the verdict, heavy security was enforced at the jail in the city of Haripur where the accused were detained, with the area cordoned off by police and elite commandos.&nbsp;

The proceedings were held in an anti-terrorism court inside the jail for security reasons.&nbsp;

Around 100 relatives of the accused students waited outside the prison walls as news of the verdict trickled out.

&quot;A day will come that the judge will answer the God. The verdict he has announced is unjust,&quot; said Waheedullah, whose son was given a three-year sentence.

The brutality of the attack, which was recorded on mobile phone cameras and posted online, stunned the public and led to widespread condemnation -- including from prominent Islamic clerics. Protests erupted in several cities.

Students who took part were rounded up after being identified through CCTV footage from the university and video clips.

An official report released months later concluded Khan was falsely accused, saying the murder was instigated by members of a secular student group who felt threatened by Khan&#39;s growing prominence as a critic of rising fees and of alleged corruption at the university.

Blasphemy is an enormously sensitive charge in Pakistan and a criminal offence that can carry the death penalty.

While the state has never executed anyone under blasphemy laws, mere allegations have prompted mob lynchings and lesser violence.&nbsp;

Since 1990 vigilantes have been accused of murdering 65 people tied to blasphemy, according to research compiled by the Center for Research and Security Studies.

A Pakistani court sentenced one person to death and five others to life imprisonment on Wednesday for lynching a student accused of blasphemy, a crime which sent shockwaves through the conservative Muslim country

A Pakistani court sentenced one person to death and five others to life imprisonment on Wednesday for lynching a student accused of blasphemy, a crime which sent shockwaves through the conservative Muslim country. Mashal Khan, 23, was stripped, beaten and shot by a gang made up mostly of students last April before being thrown from the second floor of his dormitory at Abdul Wali Khan University in the northwestern city of Mardan. "One of the accused has been awarded a death sentence, (five) were given life imprisonment while 26 have been acquitted," Saad Abbasi, a defence lawyer, said at the prison where the verdict was announced. An additional 25 were given three-year sentences, he added, saying he planned to file an appeal against the decision. The court sentenced Imran Sultan Mohammad to death over his role in shooting Khan during the lynching, a crime he confessed to earlier. Ahead of the verdict, heavy security was enforced at the jail in the city of Haripur where the accused were detained, with the area cordoned off by police and elite commandos. The proceedings were held in an anti-terrorism court inside the jail for security reasons. Around 100 relatives of the accused students waited outside the prison walls as news of the verdict trickled out. "A day will come that the judge will answer the God. The verdict he has announced is unjust," said Waheedullah, whose son was given a three-year sentence. The brutality of the attack, which was recorded on mobile phone cameras and posted online, stunned the public and led to widespread condemnation -- including from prominent Islamic clerics. Protests erupted in several cities. Students who took part were rounded up after being identified through CCTV footage from the university and video clips. An official report released months later concluded Khan was falsely accused, saying the murder was instigated by members of a secular student group who felt threatened by Khan's growing prominence as a critic of rising fees and of alleged corruption at the university. Blasphemy is an enormously sensitive charge in Pakistan and a criminal offence that can carry the death penalty. While the state has never executed anyone under blasphemy laws, mere allegations have prompted mob lynchings and lesser violence. Since 1990 vigilantes have been accused of murdering 65 people tied to blasphemy, according to research compiled by the Center for Research and Security Studies.

Pakistan court hands out death sentence over blasphemy lynching

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Death sentence for Pakistani Christian pair dropped after EU criticism

Pakistan court hands out death sentence over blasphemy lynching