Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 210: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will establish the veracity of some press reports that a Christian woman has been sentenced to death by hanging in Pakistan; if he can ascertain the reason for this appalling action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44689/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am gravely concerned about the case of Mrs. Aasia Bibi. On 9 November, Mrs. Bibi was sentenced to death by hanging in a Punjab court for blasphemy. I understand that this is the first time a woman has been sentenced to death in Pakistan under its blasphemy law. When reports of the case came to the attention of my Department, a senior official contacted the Embassy of Pakistan to express our grave concern at the conviction and sentence. He also expressed our disquiet at the nature of Pakistan's blasphemy law.

The Embassy of Pakistan was aware of Mrs. Bibi's case but pointed out that no one had been executed under the blasphemy legislation to date and that such sentences are overturned in the higher courts. As the Deputy may be aware, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, issued a statement on Mrs. Bibi's case, which I fully endorse. In that statement, she expressed the hope that Mrs. Bibi's sentence would be struck down as soon as possible. She also re-affirmed the European Union's position on the death penalty as a cruel and inhuman punishment.

I would add that Ireland has been at the forefront of efforts to promote the total and universal abolition of the death penalty. In addition, we are particularly concerned about the use of capital punishment in cases which do not involve the most serious of crimes such as in Mrs Bibi's case. It has been almost ten years since the Irish people voted in a referendum to abolish fully and formally the use of the death penalty. In so doing, Ireland stands out as one of the few countries in the world where the electorate has voted to insert an article into our Constitution explicitly forbidding use of the death penalty.

Respect for human rights is a cornerstone of foreign policy for both Ireland and the European Union as whole. Human rights and minority issues are regularly discussed with Pakistan, including this year at our bilateral political consultations in February and at the EU-Pakistan Summit in June. For its part, the Pakistani Government has given clear commitments to protect religious minorities and to promote religious tolerance. The establishment of a Ministry for Human Rights, a Ministry for Minorities and the proposed establishment of an independent national Human Rights Commission are welcome initiatives in this regard.

I would take this opportunity to urge the Pakistani Government to resolve Mrs. Bibi's case as soon as possible and to initiate a thorough review of its blasphemy law, in particular, the use of the death penalty. I will continue to follow Mrs. Bibi's case closely and officials will remain in contact with the Embassy of Pakistan in relation to this matter.