ACPP-Hotline Asia regrets the execution of Zahid Masih in the morning of 12 March 2008 at Multan jail.

In spite of the efforts of the family, local human rights groups and Church representatives, the death sentence was upheld with no further investigation nor re-trial. However, the execution was postponed for the second time on 20 February 2008.

Zahid Masih was a sanitary worker in the Pakistan Army who was sentenced to death by the Military Court since March 2006. He had denied charges of sodomy and murder and claimed that his previous admission was made under 28 days of torture. His rights to trial in a civil court, as well as access to lawyers have been ignored.

Hotline Asia issued SUA080212(1) in February to support the family and local Church representatives’ request for intervention to stop the execution scheduled on 20 January, as well as to request for abolition of death penalty in the country.

Source:
Local sources