Younus Shaikh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dr. Younus Shaikh (30 May 1952 in Chishtian, Pakistan) is a Pakistani medical doctor, human rights activist, rationalist and free-thinker. In October 2000, following a lecture, he was charged with blasphemy and ultimately after 11 months in jail sentenced to death. The verdict was later turned over in November 2003, after some further years in jail, following a high degree of international awareness.

Contents

[edit] Personal background

Dr Shaikh studied and qualified as a medical doctor in Multan. From 1981 to 1988 he did post-graduate studies and worked as a trainee surgeon in Dublin and London. On his return to Pakistan he taught in a medical college in Islamabad.

As a Human Rights activist in Pakistan he attracted the attention of the Islamic fundamentalists. He took part in the Pakistan-India Forum for Peace and Democracy, and was a member of the South Asian Fraternity, South Asian Union and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. In 1990 he started a Humanist organisation called “The Enlightenment”, inspired by the ideas of the European Enlightenment and the Renaissance.

Dr Shaikh currently lives in Switzerland. Dr. Shaikh is an Honorary Associate of Rationalist International and an Honorary member of Mukto Mona, a secular organization for Bengali humanists & freethinkers.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

[edit] Pakistani blasphemy trial

[edit] Trial

During a lecture in October 2000 at the Capital Homeopathic College in Islamabad Dr Younis Shaikh made some remarks which were considered blasphemous by a small number of the listeners. 11 students reported him to a local private group called the Committee for the Protection of the Finality of the Prophet, which has a history of lodging blashphamy charges against religions minorities[7]. The group immediately reported Dr Younis Shaikh whom was arrested. Dr Younis Shaikh maintained his words had been misunderstood. Dr Younis Shaikh was sentenced to death[8][9][7][10][11] in August 2001, after 11 months being held in the Central Gaol in Rawalpindi[12][13].

An international campaign was started to try to obtain the release of Dr. Shaikh. The campaign, run by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) and Amnesty International held demonstrations in several cities around the world; Birmingham., Oslo, Paris, New Delhi, Washington.

In July 2002 the case was referred to a referee judge. In October 2003 the judge found that the original judgment was unsound and sent the case back to the lower court for retrial.

The retrial was held in November 2003. Dr Shaikh held his own defence and was finally acquitted on 21 November 2003.

[edit] Charges

Dr Younis Shaikh was accused of defying the Prophet Muhammad by stating that the Prophet did not become a Muslim until the age of 40 (i.e., until he supposedly had received the first message from God) and that the Prophet’s parents had been non-Muslims because they died before Islam existed. He was also accused of saying that the Prophet was unlikely to have shaved under his armpits and his pubic hair[14] since the custom was probably unknown to his tribe at the time.

In Pakistan, blasphemy is tried under Article 295/C of the Pakistan Penal Code and if the accused is pronounced guilty, they face a mandatory death sentence. They are also unable to obtain bail and are held in custody awaiting trial.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mukto-mona.com: Special News - Shaikh free now
  2. ^ Younus Shaikh Free!
  3. ^ In the name of the law
  4. ^ Dr Younus Shaikh
  5. ^ Pakistan: Demand the overturning of death sentences in blasphemy cases
  6. ^ The application of Islamic apostasy law (SHARIA) in the world today
  7. ^ a b Blasphemy doctor faces death
  8. ^ Pakistani sentenced to death for blasphemy
  9. ^ Doctor faces death for blasphemy
  10. ^ Sentenced to death for blasphemy
  11. ^ Pakistani Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy
  12. ^ Younus Shaikh Free!
  13. ^ Dr. Shaikh may face Death Sentence for Blasphemy
  14. ^ Blasphemy doctor faces death

[edit] External links