Pakistan urged to ax law

The World Council of Churches called on Pakistan to repeal the mandatory death penalty for blasphemy in the country’s penal code. The WCC’s governing body issued a statement in September urging Pakistan to “guarantee the rights of all religious minorities in the country.” Since the penal code of Pakistan was amended in 1986, “Christians in particular have become targets of harassments and persecutions,” according to the WCC, which also noted that human rights organizations say blasphemy accusations are often used to have people imprisoned over business or land disputes.