Blasphemy case: Assessment of girl’s age ordered

ISLAMABAD — Doctors and officials are "favouring" a young Pakistani Christian girl charged with blasphemy after allegedly burning papers containing Koranic verses, the lawyer for her accuser claimed Thursday.

The girl, named Rimsha, has been held since August 16 on suspicion of desecrating the Muslim holy book, an offence that can carry a life prison sentence under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws.

A medical report earlier this week said Rimsha was around 14 years old -- her age had been in dispute -- and appeared to be "uneducated" with a mental age below her true age.

But after a brief hearing in the case on Thursday, which Rimsha did not attend, Rao Abdur Raheem, the lawyer representing her accuser, rejected the doctors' assessment.

"The victim has admitted that she burned a chapter of the Koran," he told reporters outside court in Islamabad.

"The doctors are favouring the victim and the state is also supporting her."

Raheem also objected to the medical examination because it was carried out a day before the court formally requested it. Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan adjourned the case to Saturday to seek clarification on the report.

Rimsha's case has prompted concern from read full post here...

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Religious freedom in Canada

The Government of Canada, led by a conservative parliament majority, announced February 19, 2013 the official opening of the Office of freedom of religion. With a budget of five million dollars, the Bureau is responsible for "protecting religious minorities threatened and defend their rights, to fight against the spread of hatred and intolerance based on religion and to promote Canadian values of pluralism and tolerance. »The creation of this Bureau also fits in a broader attempt Harper government's make coexist conservatism and multiculturalism. Surfing ambiguity According to the principles of classical liberalism on which is founded the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the state can not Read full post here...

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