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The Italian government said it would help a Pakistani Christian and his family leave this country after his recent acquittal on charges of blaspheming Islam in a high-profile case.
The woman, Asia Bibi, an illiterate mother of five, had been imprisoned for eight years after being sentenced to death for insulting the prophet of Islam. His acquittal by the Supreme Court of Pakistan last week triggered angry demonstrations by extremist Islamist groups demanding his public execution.
According to a statement from the Italian Foreign Ministry, he is ready to implement any government decision to help Bibi, reported the Associated Press.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said that he would do "all that is humanly possible" to ensure the safety of Bibi in his country or in other European countries. Other Western countries have offered family asylum to the Bibi family, but they would have acted cautiously, fearing to create a violent reaction against their own diplomats in Pakistan.
Bibi, a 51-year-old farm worker, was charged with blasphemy as a result of an argument with her fellow Muslim workers over her drinking water in the same cup as them. They accused her of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, a charge she denied. But Bibi was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010.
His case has attracted a lot of attention in Western countries, even a call for his release by Pope Benedict XVI.
After his acquittal, extremist religious groups demanded the death of the three Supreme Court justices who acquitted her. They also called for a military uprising against the army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Bibi would be detained in a secret and secure place inside Pakistan. Discussions between the government and religious groups to ease tensions are at a standstill.
Bibi's husband, Ashiq Masih, appealed to the United Kingdom to seek asylum. He also asked for help from Canada and the United States.
Moreover, the lawyer who represented Bibi, Saif-ul-Mulook, fears for his life and asks for asylum in the Netherlands. [Copyright 2018 NPR]
