Court rejects blasphemy conviction despite pressure from hardline lawyers

Lahore, Pakistan – After spending nearly 23 years on death row, Anwar Kenneth, a 72-year-old Christian man, has been acquitted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, bringing an end to one of the country’s longest and most troubling blasphemy cases.

The Supreme Court’s three-judge bench, comprising Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Shahzad Ahmed Khan, and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, ruled that a person of unsound mind cannot be held criminally liable under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The verdict has been widely welcomed by human rights advocates as a landmark step toward justice for religious minorities.

Kenneth, a former Deputy Director in the Punjab Fisheries Department, was sentenced to death by a Lahore trial court in 2002 under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which mandates the death penalty for anyone accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The conviction stemmed from a letter Kenneth wrote in 2001 to Muslim scholars, diplomats, and Christian leaders expressing his own religious beliefs.

Despite a medical board’s confirmation that he was mentally unwell, Kenneth remained incarcerated for more than two decades. His death sentence was upheld by the Lahore High Court in 2014, and his appeal lingered before the Supreme Court for years.

Supreme Court lawyer Rana Abdul Hameed, who represented Kenneth, praised the judges for upholding justice despite immense pressure from certain lawyers affiliated with religious groups, including the Khatm-e-Nabbuwat (Finality of Prophethood) Lawyers Forum.

“These lawyers and clerics caused an uproar in the courtroom as soon as the judges announced the acquittal,” Hameed said. “This verdict is not just about one man—it highlights the plight of dozens of other prisoners who are mentally ill or falsely accused of blasphemy and have been waiting for justice for years.”

Kenneth’s family expressed relief and gratitude, recalling his long struggle behind bars. His 83-year-old sister, Reshma Bibi, said her brother was a Bible scholar who loved engaging in theological discussions. “He was never disrespectful toward anyone’s faith. His only crime was expressing his own beliefs,” she said.

Human rights observers have called Kenneth’s acquittal a moral victory, but also a reminder of the urgent need to reform Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which are often misused to settle personal grudges or target religious minorities.

The Supreme Court’s detailed written order is expected in the coming days, paving the way for Kenneth’s release and reunification with his family after 23 long years of imprisonment.