ASIA BIBI: ACN AT THE FOREFRONT
Right from the inception of the Asia Bibi case, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been at the forefront, providing all forms of support to her and her family.
For instance, in February this year, the Italian Office of ACN invited Asia Bibi’s husband and daughter for a Night of Witness, a ceremony to show solidarity with persecuted Christians where Rome’s ancient Colosseum was lit in red. During this ceremony, they had an audience with Pope Francis.
Last month, they also took part in Aid to the Church in Need National events at North-west England and Scotland after which they proceeded to London for ACN’s Westminster Event on Saturday 13th October 2018.
Following Asia Bibi’s acquittal and the threats surrounding her life and that of her family, her husband, Ashiq Masih, has appealed to several Western countries for asylum for their family.
Bibi’s husband told ACN that although his family has already lived through an unimaginable experience, they had not anticipated that things would get so bad that they would need to go into hiding.
Alessandro Monteduro, Director of Aid to the Church in Need Italy, has served as an intermediary with the Italian government in the Bibi family’s appeal for asylum in Europe.
The Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said last week that he would do “everything humanly possible” to help secure Bibi’s safety in Italy or another European country.
Salvini told a radio station that Italy is working discreetly on the case with other Western countries.
On Nov. 7, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani tweeted, “Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place! I thank the Pakistani authorities. I look forward to meeting her and her family, in the European Parliament as soon as possible.”
Thanks to our benefactors, Aid to the Church in Need is engaged in similar projects, helping Christians on death row and others accused of crimes they did not commit. These include urgent legal assistance for people falsely accused and help for others – particularly women – needing basic food and shelter after being forced into hiding following sexual exploitation and violence.
ACN Malta
