Gender: Female

Current Location: Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi

Perpetrator: Pakistan

Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: July/29/2021

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

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

Nature of Charges: Aid & Abetment Blasphemy Hate Speech

Shagufta Kiran

Extra Bio Info:

Shagufta Kiran is detained for blasphemy.

On July 29, 2021, authorities arrested Kiran after she was accused of forwarding blasphemous content via WhatsApp in September 2020. Police reportedly raided Kiran's home, seizing electronics, and arresting her husband and two sons.  They were later released. Kiran was reportedly charged with "intending to outrage religious feelings" (Sec. 295-A PPC), "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC), "uttering words with deliberate intent to outrage religious feelings" (Sec. 298 PPC), "using derogatory remarks in respect of holy personages" (Sec. 298-A PPC), abetment (Sec. 109 PPC), and "inciting interfaith hatred" (Sec. 11 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016).

Her family has reportedly gone into hiding out of safety concerns.

Kiran is reportedly being held in Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi.

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