Since May 2019, Asia Bibi the Pakistani Christian woman accused of blasphemy who spent 8 years in prison has been a refugee in Canada and wants to continue helping Christians falsely accused of blasphemy.
At the end of next month, the book “Finally Free” by the French journalist Anne-Isabelle Tollet , which recounts the captivity and liberation of Asia Bibi, will be released.
Speaking to Aleteia, the author of the book, who traveled to Canada to meet her, says that Asia Bibi “is a bubbly woman, a fighter, who gives us a frank lesson in courage. “
Tollet points out that, after 10 years of following up the case of Asia Bibi, her first reaction to seeing her in person was really “shocking” and that she was deeply moved to discover a brave person, a fighter despite her small stature, and “free”.
In the interview, the author reveals details of the captivity of Asia and recounts, for example, the echo of Benedict XVI’s message on the case, the successive interventions of the different presidents of France, as well as the prudence of Pope Francis not to act in the case of Asia, so as not to complicate the delicate situation further.
“When I met her I could see to what extent this little woman is brave and a fighter, who has never taken pity on herself . ” The French journalist also says that “She has a natural authority, but she is also cheerful and smiling, she is alive and intelligent.”
“She is sad to have left Pakistan, but she wants to remain the spokeswoman for all the people who are unjustly accused of blasphemy, especially Christians.”
Asia Bibi was sentenced to death and spent 8 years in prison charged with a crime of blasphemy. She finally got the acquittal on October 31, 2018. On November 7, she was released and in May she managed to leave the country. Since then she has been a refugee in Canada.
The acquittal of the Catholic woman gave rise to numerous reactions in favour of pro-human rights groups, as well as protests against religious extremist groups, opposing the decision of the Pakistani Supreme Court.
