Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued this statement regarding the murder of Mr. Rashid Rehman, a leading Pakistani human rights activist:
“I am deeply concerned about ongoing attacks against human rights activists in Pakistan who are working to defend the rights of religious and ethnic minorities. I extend my condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Rashid Rehman, a Pakistan lawyer who was defending a controversial blasphemy case and was killed on May 7th. I remain concerned about the misuse of discriminatory laws such as the Blasphemy law, which fuels extremism and prosecutes people for practicing their faith. Too many voices of tolerance and peace have been silenced by violent extremists, and I urge the Government of Pakistan to take all possible measures to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”
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