Source: www.worthynews.com
Date: October 12, 2026
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – Pakistan’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of a Christian father of three accused of publishing blasphemous material online, while acquitting his younger brother after more than a decade of imprisonment in a case that has raised international concerns about religious freedom in the Islamic republic.
Qaiser Ayub, who is in his 50s and denies wrongdoing, faces execution by hanging after the country’s highest court rejected his appeal Wednesday. His brother, Amoon Ayub, was acquitted because of insufficient evidence linking him to the alleged offense, advocates told Worthy News Friday.
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws prescribe severe penalties, including the death sentence for insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Human rights groups say the legislation has frequently been misused to settle personal disputes and target religious minorities, particularly Christians.
The case began in 2011 when a complainant, Muhammad Saeed, accused the brothers of publishing articles deemed insulting to Islam and images depicting the Prophet Muhammad on a website containing their personal information.
However, questions emerged about whether the brothers had actually posted the material. Both denied responsibility, and Qaiser maintained that he had closed the website years before the disputed content appeared.
BROTHERS FLEE PAKISTAN
In December 2018, a trial court sentenced both brothers to death. The Lahore High Court upheld their convictions in June 2022, before the case reached the Supreme Court.
The brothers initially fled Pakistan for Singapore and Thailand after receiving threats but eventually returned. Qaiser was arrested in November 2014 and Amoon in April 2015.
Their ordeal attracted international attention, including from United Nations human rights experts who raised concerns about the evidence and the use of capital punishment for blasphemy-related offenses.
In a communication concerning the case, U.N. experts questioned whether investigators had established who uploaded the offending material and expressed concern about the brothers’ prolonged detention.
LEGAL OPTIONS REMAIN
Legal advocates supporting the brothers have indicated that they intend to seek a review of the Supreme Court’s decision concerning Qaiser, while a petition for presidential clemency remains another potential avenue under Pakistani law.
The American Center for Law and Justice, which has supported the brothers’ legal defense, said Amoon’s release would require additional paperwork and that arrangements were being made for his safety.
Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of the advocacy group LEAD Ministries, urged international Christian leaders to take practical steps to protect Qaiser and support other Christians facing blasphemy accusations.
Gill told Worthy News that Christian leaders should “not only express concern but should also take practical action,” including legal assistance, monitoring court proceedings and engaging Pakistani authorities through lawful channels.
He also appealed to Christian-majority countries to provide protection for Christians forced to flee Pakistan because of threats, religious discrimination or blasphemy accusations.
SRI LANKA SEEKS CLEMENCY
Gill’s appeal comes as Sri Lanka pursues diplomatic and legal efforts to save one of its citizens facing execution in Saudi Arabia over an online comment deemed insulting to Islam.
Anojan Sivarasa, a 24-year-old Sri Lankan migrant worker, was sentenced to death after posting a comment deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad on the Facebook social media platform during an online religious dispute. He later reportedly deleted the comment and apologized.
Sri Lankan authorities have pursued legal and diplomatic efforts to secure clemency, including sending a legal delegation to Saudi Arabia to work with local lawyers.
Gill cited the Sri Lankan intervention as an example of the practical assistance he believes Christian leaders and international organizations should provide to people facing execution under blasphemy laws.
Back in Pakistan, the ruling offers the prospect of freedom for Amoon, although concerns remain about his safety. Qaiser’s family faced uncertainty Friday over whether he would ever return home alive.
Their case highlights wider concerns about religious freedom in Pakistan, which ranks eighth on the 2026 World Watch List published by Christian advocacy group Open Doors, placing it among the countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.