Persecution Unmasked: The Suffering of Pastor Vicky and the Fight for Justice:
September 25, 2023
Pastor Vicky's harrowing ordeal exposes a troubling injustice as he is unjustly accused and detained, casting a shadow on religious freedom in Pakistan.
In a shocking and tragic case reported on September 03, 2023, a pastor became a victim of violence simply because he stood unwavering in his religious beliefs, refusing to recite Quranic verses even when faced with death threats.
This case has taken a series of dramatic turns over the past two weeks. To begin with, Reverend Father Eleazar Vicky (Pastor Vicky), along with his companions, including a 13-year-old minor, found themselves in illegal police custody, ostensibly for an ongoing investigation. Disturbingly, Pastor Vicky was coerced into making a false confession, likely under duress due to severe mistreatment during his detention. The promise of a swift release, with minimal consequences, was dangled before him to force this false admission.
The physical and psychological torment inflicted upon Pastor Vicky has left him in a severely weakened state. His mental health has significantly deteriorated due to the trauma endured during his custody. To make matters worse, the police have placed him under house arrest, with officers residing inside his two-room residence. This arrangement has created further problems, as female family members are forced to share their living space with male officers.
Pastor Ghazala Shafique, a prominent minority rights activist from Karachi, Pakistan, has not remained silent on this matter. She has voiced her concerns, highlighting the unjust treatment of Pastor Vicky and calling for his immediate release. She asserts that this detention is unlawful, as it transforms the victim into the perpetrator, all to protect the country's image and downplay the issues faced by minorities in Pakistan.
During an interaction with the police regarding the case, both Pastor Ghazala Shafique and her legal advisor Luke Victor faced dire consequences. Their phones were seized, and they were physically assaulted when they attempted to reveal the true face of the police and their injustices on their Facebook page (details available here).
Pastor Vicky's own video testimony underscores the injustice he has endured. In the video, he passionately denies any involvement in the incident, invoking the name of God to attest to his innocence. He reveals that he was indeed shot, a crime inflicted upon him rather than one he committed himself. Adding to his precarious state, he is a chronic diabetic, and there have been numerous instances where his blood sugar levels plummeted, leading to unconsciousness.
In an alarming development, the court has, once again, remanded Pastor Vicky into police custody today. Many fear that he will be subjected to further pressure to coerce him into admitting to a crime he did not commit. This ongoing ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for justice and the protection of religious minorities in Pakistan.