Committee of Concerned Scientists

An international non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.

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Hafeez Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy Charge

December 24, 2019

A gifted scholar was arrested for Blasphemy in Pakistan and spent six years in jail awaiting  trial.  His first attorney was threatened in open court by the prosecutor, saying he would  not live for the next hearing.  Shortly, thereafter, an assassin entered his office and killed him.  Following the murder, getting a new attorney to take the case was difficult, and getting a judge to hear the case was also difficult. Hearing after hearing was postponed and moved to other judges.  Finally, on December 16 (six years after his arrest) Hafeez’ case was heard and the verdict was handed down on December 18, 2019.  He was sentenced to death.  CCS has written to the authorities in the Pakistani government, as well as, the U.S. government requesting the verdict and charges be dismissed with Hafeez being released and his safe assured.

December 27, 2019


The Honorable Imran Khan
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan

Your Excellency:

The Committee of Concerned Scientists (“CCS”) is an independent 
organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars 
devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and 
scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.  For almost 
50 years CCS has been helping persecuted scholars overcome 
injustice and return to their academic work. 

At this time, CCS is writing out of grave concern for Junaid 
Hafeez, a former lecturer and MPhil candidate in the English 
Literature Department of Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan.  
He was held in pre-trial detention for over six years charged with 
“Blasphemy.”  His trial was rescheduled over and over for the past 
six years.  His attorney was murdered after being threatened in 
court by the prosecutor and his trial has been moved from one judge 
to another (seemingly that everyone was too frightened to rule 
honestly on this case so they continually moved it to another 
civil servant). Additionally, the prosecutor would continue to 
modify the case requiring papers to be filed anew. 

Mr. Hafeez went to court on December 19, 2019 and the verdict was 
finally rendered on December 21st – the sentence called for his 
execution.  This sentence and this charge violate all of Pakistan’s 
domestic and international legal obligations relating to due 
process, fair trial and the humane treatment of prisoners, 
including under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which 
Pakistan is a signatory.  We, therefore, implore you, at this time, 
to intervene, and ensure that Mr. Hafeez’s verdict is overturned, 
his case is dismissed, he is released and his safety ensured.  
This is a most serious situation for which we are certain you will 
comply with the agreements that Pakistan has signed regarding 
freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, the right to due 
process and related rights for those accused.

We would appreciate your speedy response to this most egregious 
situation.

Sincerely,

Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Cc:
The Honorable Justice Asif Saeed Khosa
Chief Justice of Pakistan
58 D, Sir Syed Road
Gulberg – III
Lahore, Pakistan

Mohammad Usman Buzdar
Chief Minister Government of Punjab
Province’ Chief Minister Secretariat’ 5-Club Road
GOR-I
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Mr. Ehtisham Qadir
Office of the Prosecutor General, Punjab
Kasuri Tower, 4-Fane Road
Opposite Punjab Bar Council
Lahore, Pakistan

Arif Alvi
President of Pakistan President’s Secretariat
Islamabad, Pakistan

Shireen Mazari
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
State Life Building No. 5, Blue Area
Jinnah Avenue, China Chowk
Islamabad, Pakistan

The Honorable Michelle Bachelet
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR)
Palais des Nations
CH-1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland

Dr. Ahmed Shaheed
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
c/o Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations at Geneva
8-14 avenue de la Paix
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

The Honorable Mike Pompeo
US Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC  20520
United States of America

Filed Under: CCS Board, CCS Cases, Highlights, Pakistan, Prominent Cases Tagged With: blasphemy, Death Penalty, Hafeez, Pakistan

Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Paul H. Plotz, M.D., Washington, DC

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Astronomy – Arno Penzias, New Enterprises Associates*

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Computer Science – Jack Minker, University of Maryland, College Park

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Medical Sciences – J. Joseph Blum, Duke University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deceased), Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser, Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy, University of Pittsburg

David Gross, (2004 Nobel Prize in Physics), Kavil Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara*

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

Walter Kohn (deceased), University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Louis Nirenberg, New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Honorary Board Members

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, (1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine), New England Biolabs*

Myriam Sarachick, City College of New York

Harold Scheraga, Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Steven Weinberg, University of Texas, Austin*

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Rosalyn S. Yalow (deceased), Mount Sinai School of Medicine*

* Nobel laureate

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