A pastor who became Pakistan’s longest-serving blasphemy prisoner has died just two days after being acquitted and released.
Zafar Bhatti, 62, died of a heart attack over the weekend, according to Release International.
He was accused in 2012 of sending two text messages that allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad. It is understood he was tortured to extract a confession, but he consistently maintained his innocence.
Release International said several reports at the time showed that the phone SIM in question was not registered to Zafar but to a woman who was later arrested, charged, and granted bail. She died in November 2016 from hepatitis C.
Zafar’s trial began in 2017, with proceedings held inside the prison due to security threats. That same year, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, and in December 2021, his sentence was increased to the death penalty.
While in prison, Zafar faced pressure from Muslim inmates to convert to Islam and was beaten several times. His wife, Nawab, struggled to make ends meet following his arrest.
He was released on October 3 of this year and, shortly before his death, said Christians in Pakistan “lived under the sword” of the country’s blasphemy laws.
“This is very sad news to hear, so soon after Zafar’s release from prison,” said Paul Robinson, CEO of Release International. “We would ask supporters to pray for his widow, Nawab, and the family as they grieve.”