- Title: Lawyer of freed Christian woman leaves Pakistan a "prime target"
- Date: 5th November 2018
- Summary: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS (NOVEMBER 5, 2018) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SAIFUL MULOOK, LAWYER OF CHRISTIAN WOMAN ASIA BIBI, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHER AT WORK (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASIA BIBI'S LAWYER, SAIFUL MULOOK, SAYING: "I had a police friend available in the Supreme Court, I drove with them to (INAUDIBLE) And then they and the European Nations Ambassadors at Islamabad, they kept me for three days and then put me on a plane against my wishes. I pressed them that I would not leave the country unless I get Asia out of the prison." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASIA BIBI'S LAWYER, SAIFUL MULOOK, SAYING: "So, I am not happy here to be without her and I could have been much happier. But everybody said that: 'no, you are the prime target at the moment and we, the whole world is taking care of Asia'." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASIA BIBI'S LAWYER, SAIFUL MULOOK, SAYING: "And I asked her (local United Nations staff): do you know if Asia is released or not? No, no, no we can't tell. I said: do you know which country is taking (Asia Bibi under an asylum status)? No, no, no we can't tell for security (reasons). I mean this is the latest today." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 19th November 2018 17:42
- Keywords: Asia Bibi lawyer Saiful Mulook United Nations Supreme Court blasphemy threats Netherlands
- Location: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS
- City: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
- Reuters ID: LVA001958CEH3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT IS AN UPDATE OF EDIT 1161-PAKISTAN-BLASPHEMY/LAWYER
The Pakistani lawyer who helped free a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy said on Monday (November 5) he had been forced to flee to the Netherlands for his life and has no idea where his client is.
Lawyer Saiful Mulook, who defended Asia Bibi in a case that has led to the assassination of two Pakistani politicians, said local United Nations staff had urged him to leave the country on Saturday following her acquittal last week.
Mulook told reporters in The Hague that he was put on a plane against his wishes and that he was not happy to be without her.
Mulook said he did not know whether Bibi had already been released from prison, or where she would want to seek asylum after being acquitted by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Mulook said Italy had offered asylum to both Bibi and her family and his own family, but that they had not accepted the offer straightaway, as U.N. staff said they would make arrangements.
Bibi was convicted in 2010 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Islam during an argument with her neighbours and had been on death row since then.
The court's decision to overturn the verdict led to violent protests throughout Pakistan by angry mobs calling for the judges in the case to be killed. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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