Featured Prisoner - Imran Ghafur

* Location: Pakistan
* Arrested: July 2009
* Days Imprisoned: 336



On July 1, 2009, Pakistani police arrested Imran Ghafur in Punjab province after Muslims accused him of burning pages of the Quran. While cleaning his brother’s retail shop, Imran removed the trash he had collected, intending to burn some of it. While burning the trash, pages of the Quran flew into the fire and burned. Imran’s neighbor, Haji Liaqat, saw the burned pages of the Quran and alerted other Muslims in the area. “Haji Liaqat saw the burned Quran papers, and he aggressively told all resident people and travelers also,” a VOM contact said. “He was telling everybody that Imran Ghafur is burning the Quran … he should be killed.”
Imran and his father were severely beaten before police arrested Imran. Following the arrest, news of the incident spread throughout the city, and angry Muslims threw stones at the police station where Imran was being held. “Give the death sentence to him who disgraces the Holy Quran, and hang him who disgraces the Holy Quran,” the Muslims said. “Christians are dogs; Imran is a dog,” they shouted.
On July 2, 2009, Imran was moved to a jail. “The situation is very tense in Hajwari town, where the Christian families live,” the VOM contact said. “Haji Liaqat and his friends are saying that they will not allow Imran’s family to live in the colony or run their business.”
Imran and his family have been managing businesses in the area and are actively involved with other Christians in the area.