Gender: Male

Current Location: Central Jail Sahiwal

Perpetrator: Pakistan

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Acquitted

Sentence: Death on Appeal; Originally Life Imprisonment

Date of Sentencing: July//2013

Date of Release: November/13/2021

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Online Activity

Nature of Charges: Blasphemy

Sajjad Masih Gill

Extra Bio Info:

Sajjad Masih Gill was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

On an unspecified date, authorities arrested Gill, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist community, after he was accused of sending a text message that disparaged the Prophet Muhammad in late 2011.

In July 2013, the court of Gojra, Punjab, sentenced Gill to life in prison for "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC).

Following his sentencing, members of Gill's family and attorneys have faced threats and violence.  In 2015, his brother and nephew reported being attacked after visiting Gill in prison.  In 2016, two lawyers reported receiving threats by armed men.  

In March 2021, the Lahore High Court accepted a petition submitted by prosecutors to resentence Gill to death.

On October 26, 2021, a two-judge division bench of the Lahore High Court acquitted Gill reportedly due to insufficient evidence. 

On November 13, 2021, Gill was released.

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