A Muslim man arrested for blasphemy — but then released because he was deemed mentally incompetent — was found dead outside Islamabad, his body riddled with bullets.
Abid Mehmood was arrested in 2011 because he claimed to be the prophet of Islam, Police Officer Mohammad Ayub said, The Associated Press reported. He was just freed from prison, though, because authorities found him to be mentally unstable.
But someone gunned him down. His body was discovered — filled with bullets — in Taxila, a town located 25 miles outside Islamabad, AP said.
Blasphemers of the Islam faith are frequently sentenced to death. Those who aren’t are still often killed by those who see it their duty to protect the prophet Mohammed and defend their faith, AP said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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