Release International

Churches in Punjab are dismayed by court decisions to release on bail 19 people accused of involvement in the attack on Gojra in which 11 Christians died.

On October 12, the district and sessions court of Toba Tek Singh granted bail to six people accused of inciting and perpetrating violence during the raid in August. Thirteen other people facing similar charges – including radical clerics who are alleged to have incited the violence – were bailed by the High Court in Lahore on September 7.

'I am sure that, soon after securing their release, they will resume their anti-Christian activities again,' Khalid Gill of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance told International Christian Concern, a religious rights charity.

Up to 3,000 heavily armed Islamist radicals raided Gojra on August 1, destroying 40 Christian homes and attacking villagers (Prayer Alert, August 11, 2009). This followed an assault on the nearby village of Korian which was completely destroyed on July 30 after a local Christian family was accused of blasphemy for allegedly desecrating the Koran – a charge they strongly deny.

(Sources: International Christian Concern, UCAN)

• Continue to pray for Christians in Korian and Gojra coming to terms with these violent attacks.
• Pray for the Christian family from Korian who have been accused of blasphemy.

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