Qamar David
Encyclopedia
Qamar David was a Pakistani Christian convicted of blasphemy who died on March 15, 2011 under suspicious circumstances in a jail in Karachi
, Pakistan
.
in a text message to a business rival. His lawyers stated that the charges were pushed by rival businessmen. He was convicted in February 2010 by a court in Karachi and sentenced to life in prison. While in prison David had written twice to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
expressing fear for his life and that of his family. He also accused the police of torturing him.
called for an independent investigation of the death. An autopsy was performed on March 16, 2011 by doctors whose initial assessment was that he died of a heart attack. However, histopathology reports were expected to take several days.
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Background
David was a supplier of cosmetic shops in Karachi. He was arrested in 2006 for allegedly insulting MuhammadMuhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
in a text message to a business rival. His lawyers stated that the charges were pushed by rival businessmen. He was convicted in February 2010 by a court in Karachi and sentenced to life in prison. While in prison David had written twice to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan , or HRCP, is an independent, non-profit organization, founded in 1987, which is not associated or affiliated with the government or any political party. It is committed to act with impartiality and objectivity in all matters...
expressing fear for his life and that of his family. He also accused the police of torturing him.
Death
David, 57, died on March 15, 2011 after complaining of chest pain. Prison officials stated that he died a natural death and foul play was ruled out. However, David's lawyer Aslam Chaudhry stated that his client was healthy and expressed concerns that David was murdered. Andrew Johnston of Christian Solidarity WorldwideChristian Solidarity Worldwide
Christian Solidarity Worldwide is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all. Its current president is Jonathan Aitken, having taken over from Baroness Cox in 2006...
called for an independent investigation of the death. An autopsy was performed on March 16, 2011 by doctors whose initial assessment was that he died of a heart attack. However, histopathology reports were expected to take several days.