Punjab jails have 19 women accused of blasphemy

LAHORE: At least 19 women are in prisons across Punjab province currently under accusations of blasphemy.

This information was made available after Sarmad Ali, an advocate of the Lahore High Court, sought details under the Right to Information Act.

According to the data provided to the lawyer, out of 19 women, 15 are under trial, two have been convicted, and two are ‘unconfirmed condemned prisoners’.

In Central Jail Lahore, nine women are imprisoned under various blasphemy allegations. Among them, eight are under trial for different sections of the blasphemy law: one woman under Section 295B, another under Section 295AC, a the third one under Section 295B, the fourth under Section 295ABC, the fifth under Section 295C, sixth under Section 295B, seventh under Section 295ABC, and the eighth under Section 295C. Additionally, one woman has been convicted and is serving her sentence.

In District Jail Sialkot, one woman is under trial under Section 295A. In Women Jail Multan, three women are facing blasphemy accusations: two women are under trial under Section 295B, while one is an unconfirmed condemned prisoner under Section 295C.

In Central Jail Rawalpindi, one woman is imprisoned under sections 295A and 295C and is also an unconfirmed prisoner.

In District Jail Rahim Yar Khan, two women are in jail: one under trial under Section 295B, and another convicted under the same section.

In District Jail Faisalabad, three women are under trial for blasphemy. One woman is charged under sections 295A, 295B and 295C, while the other two are under trial for Section 295B.