Christian child held in Pakistan prison over strict blasphemy laws

The case, which has sparked global controversy, has focused attention on Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws which can result in prison or even death for insulting Islam.

Human rights activists have long criticised the laws and said they are used to persecute non-Muslims and settle scores.

The court’s decision was procedural, since the girl’s initial two-week detention ended Thursday, said her lawyer, Tahir Naveed Chaudhry. He hopes she will be freed on bail at a hearing today.

Local TV film from the court showed the girl covered in a white sheet to protect her identity and surrounded by police, including two female constables.

This case has generated an uproar because of reports she is as young as 11 and has Down syndrome. A neighbour has accused her of burning pages from Islam’s holy book, the Koran, but her lawyer has denied the allegation. The accusation is a common one and is often levelled against non-Muslims. Similar claims recently led to riots and deaths in Afghanistan.

A medical report released this week said the girl is 14 and her mental state does not correspond with her age. The report could mean she will be tried in the more lenient juvenile court system.

During an initial bail hearing Thursday, the lawyer for the man who accused the girl of blasphemy asked the medical report be rejected, saying it unduly favoured the accused.

The girl, who is understood to be illiterate, was arrested in Islamabad more than two weeks after an angry mob tried to lynch her.