Two Pakistani Christians Jailed for Blasphemy

Two Pakistani Christians have been sentenced to jail for six years on blasphemy charges.

Premier reports the pair was detained after a pastor published a poster relating to an ordination ceremony bearing a word commonly used to refer to Mohammad. They were sentenced to prison for allegedly "instigating sectarian hatred and hurting religious feelings and sentiments of the Muslims."

A spokesman from the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), a Christian charity that provides free legal aid to persecuted Christians, says cases like these are all to familiar. 

"Christians are living under constant threat because of growing misuse of the blasphemy law and are continuously demanding changes or at least the introduction of safeguards to this law," he told Premier.

Often times people manipulate the blasphemy law to settle their personal conflicts with Christians. Blasphemy is a serious offense that can even result in the death penalty. 

Cases like these are symptoms of an ever increasing threat to Pakistani Christians. Violent persecution of Christians has gotten so severe, many are fleeing the country to save their own lives.