Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if any action is being taken at EU and UN level to protest at and reverse the sentencing to death of Asia Bibi in Pakistan under the country's blasphemy laws; if his Department has contacted the ambassador of Pakistan and the Pakistani Government on this matter; if he will indicate if he has been briefed on this issue by any organisation, including the Irish advocacy group for persecuted Christians, Church in Chains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14858/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I am gravely concerned about the case of Mrs. Asia Bibi. In November 2010, 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 concern at the conviction and sentence. He also expressed our disquiet at the nature of Pakistan's blasphemy law. Mrs. Bibi's case and Pakistan's blasphemy laws were discussed at the 23 May bilateral political consultations in Dublin, with the Pakistani Additional Foreign Secretary for Europe and the Pakistani Ambassador, when our strong concerns about the conviction, sentence and the nature of Pakistan's blasphemy laws were re-iterated.

At European level High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, has also expressed her concerns at the Asia Bibi judgement and others like it, and called on Pakistan to respect human rights as guaranteed under international conventions to which it is a party. She also re-affirmed the European Union's position on the death penalty as a cruel and inhuman punishment.

Respect for human rights is a cornerstone of foreign policy for both Ireland and the European Union as whole. 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 add that Ireland is at the forefront of efforts to promote the total and universal abolition of the death penalty. 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.

I would take this opportunity to again 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 Pakistani authorities in relation to this matter.