Lahore Pakistan:
Anwar Kenneth, imprisoned for 24 years on false blasphemy charges, was finally acquitted On October 7, 2025, by the Supreme Court, the highest court of Pakistan. Attorney Rana Abdul Hameed said that the judges heard lengthy arguments, finally determining, based on medical evidence of bipolar disorder and mental illness, that Kenneth was innocent.
This case highlights the question of accountability for those who fabricate charges, as there is currently no punishment for such actions.
Anwar Kenneth remained falsely imprisoned for 24 years, with 23 of those years under a sentence of death. The authorities reportedly arrested Kenneth in 2001, after he was accused of writing letters perceived as blasphemous towards the Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an. Kenneth was charged with “insulting the Prophet Muhammad” under Sec. 295-C PPC.
In July 2002, after he pled guilty, a court in Lahore sentenced Kenneth to death and fined him five million rupees. On June 30, 2014, the Lahore High Court upheld Kenneth’s sentence.
This case was unusual in that Kenneth was booked and presumed guilty of an offence under section 295C PPC, yet the prosecution did not produce any evidence of derogatory remarks made against the prophet of Islam.
What Kenneth did claim was that he is a true Christian and believes in Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Bible, including the Old and New Testament and Torah. His letters contained theological claims asserting that the Bible does not contain prophecies referring to Islam or the Qur’an—claims that prosecutors viewed as blasphemous.
Kenneth’s many theological claims were that Jesus Christ would come for his rescue, as He is the only hope of the world; that because Jesus Christ would come to defend him, he would engage no counsel for his defense. He claimed that according to his research and belief, there is no scope in the Old or New Testament for the arrival of the prophet of Islam, and that no prophet can come except from the seed of Jacob (Israel); nor is there any idea of the “Holy Quran” in the Bible. He claimed that his only offence is standing as a rock with Jesus Christ. Other claims were that if he were thrown in the burning fire and if his God is true, he would save him and would destroy his enemies. He also claimed that whosoever does not believe in Jesus Christ shall be burned in the fire of Gandhak (phosphorus) and that fire shall continue till the last day of the world. He also appealed that his claims be heard by all the Heads of the State of the world, the Secretary General of the United Nation Kofi Anan, all Muslim Ulma-e-din and religious leaders of the world, and all Christian theologians of the world.
Anwar Kenneth’s acquittal reinforces Pakistan’s constitutional and international obligations to protect freedom of religion and ensure equal treatment for all citizens, regardless of faith. Kenneth’s ordeal also highlights the lack of accountability for false or malicious blasphemy allegations in Pakistan. The country’s laws currently offer no penalties for fabricated charges, despite their devastating impact on the accused and their families.
After more than two decades in confinement, the release of Anwar Kenneth is a rare and significant moment of justice, and a call for revision of the country’s blasphemy laws in order to protect all of its citizens.