ISLAMABAD — In a rare move, a Pakistani judge granted bail Friday to a young, mentally challenged Christian girl accused of insulting Islam by burning pages of the religion’s holy book.
Activists who had pressed for the girl’s release welcomed the rare decision to grant bail in a blasphemy case. Defense lawyers expressed concern for her safety in a conservative country where blasphemy allegations often result in vigilante justice.
The girl’s plight has drawn new attention to Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy laws, which critics claim are used to persecute minorities and settle personal vendettas.
The girl, who medical officials say is 14 years old, was arrested Aug. 16 after an angry mob surrounded her house in the capital, Islamabad, and accused her of burning pages from the Koran, an act punishable by life in prison. Her attorney has denied the allegation.
The judge’s decision, which was handed down Friday in an Islamabad court, came after a Muslim cleric from her neighborhood was accused of planting evidence to incriminate the girl and could signal that the case will be thrown out. The Associated Press
