The Strange Case of Anwar Kenneth,
Death Row Prisoner Convicted of Blasphemy
Lahore Pakistan:
The case of Anwar Kenneth, a death row prisoner now 89 years of age, accused of blasphemy, will be decided by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on March 1, 2023. After the recusal of five state lawyers, on January 24, 2023, the Supreme Court asked the Pakistan Bar Council to provide a counsel to represent the convict, who has been on death row for more than two decades in a blasphemy case, 295C PPC in which the death sentence is mandatory.
Anwar Kenneth is a condemned prisoner, in a Pakistani prison since 2001 in an unusual case of
blasphemy. Although the charges were related to a letter he wrote and sent out widely, it could be argued that he never made any blasphemous statements against Islam or its prophet, but only expressed his own beliefs in Christianity.
Quoted from Kenneth: “Mohammad, Arabic son of Abdullah, son of Ishmael, is neither prophet of God nor is messenger of the Lord. In the holy Bible there is no such prophecy that any prophet will be raised up from the tribe of Ishmael. All the prophets have raised up from the seed of Jacob. Question arises that who informed that he is prophet of the Lord; and his book Quran is not the words of God. Whoever believes that Muhammad Arabic is prophet and his book Quran is word of God the Lord will put him in the fire of hell on the last day…. At the same time sanctuary of Moab built in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia where Muslims perform Hajj, will be destroyed with fire and brimstone by the Lord God Jesus Christ and its land will become burning pitch”.
During his sentence in jail his parents died and the nearest relatives were not able to pursue his case, due to threats against their lives. He has no children, and his wife Shabnam is suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, unable to walk or attend to her husband because of her disease. His nephews are pursuing his case. They must keep themselves hidden because of severe threats to their life. Various lawyers, due to death threats, were not willing to pursue the case in his defense.
Anwar Kenneth is a Christian and former officer in the Government Fisheries Department. While distributing a pamphlet (Gospel of Jesus), he was arrested by Gawalmandi police officer Zaffar Ullah on June 15th, 2001. Anwar Kenneth admitted before the court that he wrote letters not only to local religious leaders but to the UN Secretary-general (Kofi Annan).
Mr. Kenneth, 67, pleaded guilty before judge Sadaqatullah Khan to writing letters to religious
scholars and UN officials. In the letters he claimed that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was not
the last prophet of God, which is a fundamental Muslim belief, and said he had “direct interaction” with God. Mr. Kenneth made a statement before the court that he had done nothing wrong. He also sent a copy of his letter to the Gawalmandi police, after which a first investigation report (FIR) was lodged against him. A case of blasphemy was subsequently registered against Mr. Kenneth. On the 18th of July, 2002 Additional Sessions Judge Lahore Sadaqat Ullah Khan sentenced him to a fine of 5 lakhs and death.
On June 30th, 2014, the Lahore High Court confirmed his death sentence. In 2017 Anwar Kenneth filed a jail petition which was converted into a criminal appeal. Mr. Kenneth declined to appeal the decision because he claims he will not die even if thrown into the fire. Kenneth reportedly refused the help of a defense lawyer. Therefore, the case was concluded without a defense, and the conviction was made on the basis of Mr. Kenneth’s confession. There was no attempt to scrutinize the confession.
The Supreme Court Registrar Office deputed more than five state lawyers, who all recused themselves from the case. On January 24 th , 2023, the three-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Sayyed Mazahar and comprised of Justice Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Athar Minallah, took up the petition. The Supreme Court of Pakistan asked the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) to come up with a counsel after four weeks. “In this view of the matter, it seems appropriate and in the fitness of things to forward the matter to the Pakistan Bar Council to provide a counsel from among the list of Legal Aid Committee to represent the appellant before us in the interest of safe dispensation of criminal justice,” the order read. The bench noted that the appellant in this case was sentenced to death; therefore, without the assistance of a counsel, the matter could not proceed forward. Reports indicate that threats have been made against Mr. Kenneth’s life by other prisoners in Lahore and Sahiwal Jail.
It is well settled in international law (i.e., Declaration of Human Rights and other documents)
that every person of whatever country, shall be at liberty to practice the religion of his choice,
without any coercion or threat due to his religion. The states of the whole world are under
obligation to protect all their citizens without discrimination because of religion.
Senior Attorney Rana was present in the Supreme Court to defend Kenneth on March 2nd,
2023. The Supreme Court bench postponed the Court hearing, due to absence of two judges
out of five, CAPC correspondent Gill reported. Senior attorney Rana said that Kenneth simply revealed his Christian faith and did not commit blasphemy. In fact, the attorney had studied the Holy Bible new and Old Testament two to three times in order to defend Kenneth.