A Pakistani anti-terror court has sentenced five people to death over the killing of a Christian couple who were lynched and burned in a kiln after being falsely accused of blasphemy.

This sentencing represents good news in a country where abusive and easily manipulated blasphemy laws have been long criticized as tools for a witch hunt against Christians. Christians are often set up and falsely accused, sometimes simply for getting into a dispute with a Muslim co-worker or neighbor who decides out of revenge to lie about them blaspheming Islam or Muhammad.

The only Christian in Pakistan’s cabinet, Shahbaz Bhatti, who was openly critical of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and sought reforms, was murdered by assassins who “left leaflets signed ‘Taliban al-Qaida'”, five years ago. Outspoken Pakistani Governor Salman Taseer was also assassinated by his own guard for efforts to implement reforms in Pakistan.

Recently in Pakistan, 150 Muslim clerics demanded death for Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy who has been living under brutal conditions in jail since 2009.

“Five sentenced to death in Pakistan for lynching and burning Christian couple in a kiln”, Independent UK, November 23, 2016: