ISLAMABAD: A defense lawyer says Pakistan's top court is set to announce a final verdict on a Christian woman sentenced to death in 2010 on blasphemy charges.
Saiful Malook, a lawyer for Asia Bibi, says the Supreme Court will announce a verdict on Wednesday, and that he is "hopeful for Bibi's acquittal."
Bibi was arrested in 2009 after a quarrel with Muslim women. Group of Islamists have demanded her execution, and the governor of Punjab was assassinated in 2011 for supporting her.
Insulting Islam is punishable by death in Pakistan, and the mere rumor of blasphemy can ignite lynchings.
Her case is being closely watched internationally as a test of minority rights in Pakistan.
Bibi's first appeal was dismissed, but the Supreme Court stayed her execution in 2015.
Pakistan set to rule on woman facing death for blasphemy
Pakistan set to rule on woman facing death for blasphemy
- Bibi was arrested in 2009 after a quarrel with Muslim women.
- Group of Islamists have demanded her execution, and the governor of Punjab was assassinated in 2011 for supporting her
Russian envoy reports ‘productive meeting’ with US negotiators
- The discussions in Florida come after the United States lifted some sanctions on Russian oil earlier this week
- Trump said this week that Putin wanted to be “helpful” in relation to the Middle East war
WASHINGTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy said Wednesday that he had joined a “productive meeting” with US negotiators, the first talks between Moscow and Washington since the start of the Iran war.
The discussions in Florida come after the United States lifted some sanctions on Russian oil earlier this week — imposed because of Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine — to ease prices as war engulfed the Middle East.
“Thank you, Steve, Jared, and Josh, for a productive meeting,” Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev posted on X, referring to US President Donald Trump’s roving global envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House Senior Adviser Josh Gruenbaum.
“The teams discussed a variety of topics and agreed to stay in touch,” Witkoff posted earlier.
Trump said this week that Putin, to whom he spoke on Monday, wanted to be “helpful” in relation to the Middle East war.
Dmitriev said after the Florida meeting that Washington was “beginning to better understand” the importance of Russian oil.
“We discussed promising projects that could contribute to the restoration of Russian-American relations and the current crisis on global energy markets,” he wrote in a Telegram post.
“Today, many countries, primarily the United States, are beginning to better understand the key, systemic role of Russian oil and gas in ensuring the stability of the global economy, as well as the ineffectiveness and destructive nature of sanctions against Russia.”
