A Pakistani Christian who had been living with advanced dementia has died after spending almost a year in prison while awaiting trial on a blasphemy charge that supporters say was false.
Amir Peter, 61, died on Wednesday (1 July) after his health deteriorated in custody. His death came just days before a court was due to hear medical evidence that could have supported his application for bail.
Katherine Sapna, Executive Director of the Christian advocacy organisation Christians' True Spirit (CTS), said Peter's condition had worsened during his detention and that he did not receive the medical care he urgently needed.
Peter, who lived in Nishat Colony in Lahore, Punjab Province, was initially held at Lahore's District Camp Jail before being transferred to the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) as his physical and mental health declined.
He was arrested on 19 July 2025 after a dispute with a local shopkeeper. According to CTS, the disagreement began when Peter challenged the price of goods at a grocery shop. The organisation said the argument escalated and the shopkeeper later accused Peter of making blasphemous remarks against the Prophet Muhammad.
Peter denied the allegation throughout the case.
Under Pakistan's Section 295-C blasphemy law, insulting the Prophet Muhammad is punishable by a mandatory death sentence.
Medical specialists at PIMH later assessed Peter and concluded that his advanced dementia left him mentally unfit to stand trial. Based on those findings, CTS lawyers submitted a bail application on medical grounds.
During a court hearing on 29 June, the judge ordered the doctor who examined Peter to appear as a witness at the next hearing. However, Peter died before the case could proceed.
Sapna described his death as deeply tragic and called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his treatment while in custody.
She said the case demonstrated the serious consequences of the misuse of Pakistan's blasphemy laws and urged the authorities to ensure those responsible for any failures in his care are held accountable.
CTS also questioned the police investigation, saying the official complaint did not identify any specific words that allegedly amounted to blasphemy. The organisation argued that the disagreement should have been resolved as a local dispute rather than becoming a criminal case.
According to Sapna, Peter also reported being beaten by police officers during questioning and pressured to confess to an offence he insisted he had not committed.
Peter had retired several years earlier from a junior position at a government college, according to his younger brother, the Rev. Henry Paul.
His death follows another recent case involving a Christian imprisoned under Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
Pastor Zafar Bhatti, founder of Jesus World Mission Church, died from a heart attack in October 2025, only two days after being released from prison following more than 13 years behind bars.
Bhatti had been arrested in 2012 after being accused of sending text messages considered insulting to the Prophet Muhammad. Although he was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, the punishment was later changed to a death sentence before the Lahore High Court eventually overturned his conviction.
The British Asian Christian Association (BACA) said Bhatti had suffered from serious heart disease, diabetes and other long-term health problems while in prison. The organisation said repeated medical concerns had been raised during his imprisonment, but his condition continued to worsen.
Human rights groups have repeatedly criticised Pakistan's blasphemy laws, arguing that they are frequently misused to settle personal disputes, intimidate religious minorities and seize property. While the state has not carried out executions under the blasphemy laws, accusations have often led to mob violence, killings and lengthy periods of imprisonment before trial.
International Christian advocacy organisations continue to identify Pakistan as one of the world's most difficult places for Christians to live. According to Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List, Pakistan ranks among the countries where Christians experience the highest levels of persecution, with believers facing discrimination, violence, forced conversions and limited legal protection.
Adapted and rewritten from Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
