Christian boy sentenced to death for igniting Jaranwala riots

A Christian teenager who shared an instigating social media post that caused rioting in Jaranwala last August was given a death sentence and 22 years in prison.

The decision was made public by Special Judge Ziaullah Khan of the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sahiwal in response to claims that Quran desecration caused widespread damage to Christian homes and churches and incited mob violence.

Following claims of desecrating a copy of the Holy Quran, crowds in Jaranwala destroyed and looted dozens of Christian homes as well as almost twenty churches.

Approximately 135 people have been charged for the attacks on the minority population in Jaranwala, according to Punjab police.

However, Minorities Alliance’s leader, Advocate Akmal Bhatti, claims that only 12 defendants are still awaiting trial, while the majority have either been cleared of charges or released on bail.