Brussels, 20/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - Following the written question from MEPs on what was being done on behalf of Asia Bibi, a European official told EUROPE on Wednesday 19 November that the EU would “use every opportunity to raise this case and the broader issues of the death penalty and blasphemy law” with Pakistani authorities. “The EU delegation in Islamabad will continue to follow the case closely and to call for the verdict to be overturned and Ms Bibi released”, he said, making clear that “the EU and its member states have been following the case of Ms Asia Bibi very closely”.
“In our recent statement on Asia Bibi (Ed: of October 2014), we called on Pakistan to ensure that the human rights of all citizens are respected as guaranteed by international conventions to which Pakistan is party”, the official said. He stated that the EU had published statements after Asia Bibi's conviction in 2010 and after the initial decision was upheld on 18 October 2014 (see EUROPE 11180). During his official visit to Pakistan from 26 to 29 October EU Special Representative for Human Rights Stavros Lambrinidis asked the country to review its blasphemy laws and specifically raised the case of Bibi.
The same official added that granting Pakistan the generalised system of preferences, GSP+, from 1 January 2014 “offers a vey useful framework for assessing and promoting progress on human rights in Pakistan”. (CG)