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Teenager in Hiding After Blasphemy Accusation, Pakistani Police Say Pakistani Teenager in Hiding After Blasphemy Accusation, Police Say
(about 4 hours later)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which critics say are often used to intimidate and persecute minorities, have again come under scrutiny, with the police in the port city of Karachi having opened a case against a Christian teenager accused of having sent anti-Islamic text messages, according to local officials and rights activists. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which critics say are often used to intimidate and persecute minorities, have again come under scrutiny, with the police in the port city of Karachi opening a case against a Christian teenager accused of sending anti-Islamic text messages, according to local officials and rights activists.
The case follows a highly publicized one earlier this year in which a 14-year-old girl was detained for weeks after being accused of burning pages from a holy book. The case follows a highly publicized one this year in which a 14-year-old girl was detained for weeks after being accused of burning pages from a religious textbook.
On Wednesday, a mob ransacked the home of Ryan Stanten, 16, after rumors spread that he had used his mobile phone to send blasphemous messages. Mr. Stanten and his mother, Rubina Brayn, had already gone into hiding soon after the allegations surfaced the previous day, according to police officials. The crowd dragged furniture out of the house and set fire to it in the street. On Wednesday, a mob ransacked the home of Ryan Stanten, 16, after rumors spread that he had sent blasphemous messages from his cellphone. Mr. Stanten and his mother, Rubina Brayn, had already gone into hiding soon after the allegations surfaced the previous day, according to police officials. The crowd dragged furniture out of their house and set fire to it in the street.
A relative of Mr. Stanten, who asked not to be identified, said some of the teenager’s friends had used his phone to send objectionable messages to some religiously observant neighbors. It was not clear whether they had done so as a prank or to cause him harm.A relative of Mr. Stanten, who asked not to be identified, said some of the teenager’s friends had used his phone to send objectionable messages to some religiously observant neighbors. It was not clear whether they had done so as a prank or to cause him harm.
Mr. Stanten was not in custody, and the police said they did not know his whereabouts. The police said they had opened the case against him to calm the mob, which human rights campaigners say is a common tactic in such incidents. Mr. Stanten was not in custody, and the police said they did not know his whereabouts. The police said they had opened the case against him to calm the mob, which human rights campaigners say is a common tactic in such situations.
In August, a 14-year-old Christian girl in the capital, Islamabad, was arrested and detained for weeks after being accused of having burned the pages of a textbook used to teach the Koran to children. After a public outcry against her prosecution, driven by media coverage and supported by some Muslim clerics, a court released the girl, Rimsha Masih, on bail last month. Later, the police filed charges against the cleric who had spearheaded the accusations against Ms. Masih, accusing him of concocting evidence against her. On Thursday, the cleric was also granted bail by a court. In August, a 14-year-old Christian girl in the capital, Islamabad, was arrested and detained for weeks after being accused of having burned the pages of a textbook used to teach the Koran to children. After a public outcry against her prosecution, driven by news coverage and supported by some Muslim clerics, a court released the girl, Rimsha Masih, on bail last month. Later, the police filed charges against the cleric who had led the accusations against Ms. Masih, accusing him of fabricating evidence against her. On Thursday, the cleric was also granted bail by a court.
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws were introduced in the 1980s under the military dictatorship of Gen. Mohammad Zia ul-Haq as part of a policy of promoting Islam to unite the deeply fractious society. Many attempts to revise the law have since been thwarted by strong opposition from the religious right. The governor of the province of Punjab, Salmaan Tasser, was assassinated in January 2011 in connection with his efforts to reform the law. Pakistan’s blasphemy laws were introduced in the 1980s under the military dictatorship of Gen. Mohammad Zia ul-Haq as part of a policy of promoting Islam to unite the deeply fractious society. Many attempts to revise the law have since been thwarted by strong opposition from the religious right. The governor of the province of Punjab, Salman Taseer, was assassinated in January 2011 in connection with his efforts to reform the law.

Zia ur-Rehman contributed reporting from Karachi.

Zia ur-Rehman contributed reporting from Karachi, Pakistan.