A 14-year-old Christian girl accused of burning pages from the Koran is released on bail from a Pakistan prison.
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| The youngster, pictured leaving jail, is accused of burning Koran pages |
Rimsha Masih, 14, was arrested on August 16 for allegedly burning pages containing verses from the Koran, but she was released from a prison in Rawalpindi after a court on Friday accepted her bail application.
Paul Bhatti, Pakistan's minister for national harmony, said Rimsha was flown by helicopter to be reunited with her family.
"She has been freed from the jail and was transported by a helicopter to a safe place. Her family members received her."
A Pakistan television channel broadcast footage of the girl wearing a traditional baggy green shirt and dark green trousers stepping out of an armoured vehicle and sitting in a helicopter.
Her lawyer Tahir Naveed Chaudhry confirmed her release after two people submitted a surety bond guaranteeing the girl would reappear before court at a specified time.
Under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws, burning a sacred text is punishable with life imprisonment.
Blasphemy is a very sensitive subject in Pakistan, where 97% of the 180 million population are Muslims, and allegations of insulting Islam or the prophet Mohammed often prompt a furious public reaction.
Campaigners stepped up calls for the girl's release after police on Saturday arrested a cleric for allegedly tampering with evidence.
Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chishti is accused of trying to bolster the case against the girl by planting pages from the Koran among the burnt papers that were brought to him. He has denied the charge.
Source http://www.sky.com/
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