ANADOLU/ BLOOMBERG The boy faces the death penalty over a Facebook post allegedly featuring a blasphemous image

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The boy has been arrested and charged with blasphemy after a photo of the Kaaba in Mecca, one of the holiest sites in Islam, appeared on his profile. A Muslim man told police the image, which was part of an alleged derogatory post against Islam on the boy’s profile, was insulting and sacrilegious. The black cube-shape is built around an ancient stone at the centre of Islam’s most sacred mosque Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Locals reportedly claimed the image showed the Kaaba with a pig’s head on top.

Locals reportedly claimed the image showed the Kaaba with a pig’s head on top

Shahbaz Ahmed, a police official, said the informant contacted officers over a post “hurting religious sentiments of Muslims and desecrating the religious place”. He said the boy "had done a great injustice to us by badly hurting our religious feelings”. Police did not release details of the contents of the post, other than it included a photo of the Kaaba. It is unclear if the boy posted the image, was tagged in the post or liked the post.

ANADOLU The Kaaba is one of the most sacred sites in Islam

PHOTOTHEK The Facebook post has since been deleted

But under Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws, the teenage boy faces the death penalty or a life sentence. The Facebook post has since been deleted. His family have been forced to flee their home in Bhai Pheru for fear of violence as their sons awaits trial in prison. Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said: "This incident again underlines the worthlessness of Christians in Pakistan. A 16-year-old boy who has been accused of a blasphemy, has been placed in a prison without any proper investigation. “Social media can be a force for good or for bad, and we are all too aware of trolling in the west. However few understand the blasphemy entrapment Christians can face in Pakistan and often on flimsiest evidence, for which I can see social media becoming an ever more prolific weapon.

AFP Protests over the use of blasphemy laws against Christians have been held in Pakistan

"Pakistani Christians try to be active parts of society and will have friends from the local Muslim community. It is hard to be part of the local community when you exclude the largest diversity, however perhaps in future Christians in Pakistan should observe a more stand-offish approach when adding Muslims to their social media. "Clearly, even long term friends will bay for your blood if they feel that you have slighted their faith. perhaps it would be wise to prevent such hatred by more aloofness in future." Human rights organisations say Pakistan’s blasphemy laws often target religious minorities. Religious offences include “wounding religious feelings”, “derogatory remarks” and “defiling the Koran”. The country is the sixth most dangerous place in the world for Christians with the blasphemy laws often abused to settle personal scores.