“There was no proof against him, and none of the witnesses produced by police could corroborate the blasphemy allegation against him”, said the attorney.

A Christian was arrested for  allegedly posting and sharing blasphemous images on social media. He may face death penalty.

The landlord, rival shop owner, falsely accused him of disrespecting Muhammad by allegedly saying that Christ was the only “true prophet”.

The Christian brothers have been in jail since 2014, accused of creating a blog with blasphemous material, after “a shoddy investigation and evidence”, said the lawyers.

Since 1959, around 3,116 people have been shot on the island, mainly men and accused of common or political crimes.

The death sentence is for a Protestant pastor who has been in prison since 2012, while the other was released on bail after four years in prison for Facebook comments.

Some believers say that “one of the greatest assets in life is forgiveness”, while others state that “the church is not as enthusiastic as the NGOs” about abolition.

Four Middle Eastern countries accounted for 88% of all reported death penalties applied worldwide, but non-official statistics speak of thousands executed in China.

Some US evangelicals “hope Virginia will have a domino effect on their neighbors”. They see “a growing number of Christian leaders and denominations speaking out against the death penalty”.

“The state shall not establish an official religion. No citizen shall be discriminated based on their religion”, the new agreement between the government and the rebels says.

“Blasphemy law should be reviewed, with proper investigation mechanisms”, Asia Bibi told The Sunday Telegraph in her first interview since she left Pakistan. The Christian woman and her family are expected to move to Europe soon.

According to the law, conversion from Islam is illegal and punishable by death. “Christian converts will be forced to hide their faith even more carefully”, Open Doors says.

Dylann Roof has been sentenced for the racially motivated killings of nine black people at Emanuel AME Church, one of the oldest black churches in South Carolina (USA).

Calvin College in Michigan organised a forum about death penalty. “It hurts victims rather than helping them”, said a victim’s family member.

“We have the opportunity now to play a key role in ending an institution that for too long has failed to live up to core Christian principles”, thinks Heather Beaudoin.

Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, president of NHCLC, explained to Evangelical Focus the Hispanic Evangelical churches opposition to death penalty.

The vast majority of Massachussets citizens oppose the death penalty. Appeals could last for more than a decade and finally end in a life sentence.

They are the first national association of evangelical congregations to take a position in favour of death penalty repeal. Many Catholic groups support them.