This is an update on the Call for Mercy petition for Asia Bibi’s release from Voice of the Martyrs USA’s Persecution Blog.

A team from Voice of the Martyrs USA (VOM) travelled to Washington DC in November to make the first delivery of Call For Mercy petitions to the Pakistani Embassy. The team received a courteous response from Pakistani Embassy personnel, who accepted the more than 400,000 signatures that had been collected at that time, including the initial 150,000 from Christians inside Pakistan.

Todd Nettleton, VOM’s Director of Media Development, was part of the delivery team.

It’s hard to know what to expect when you call an embassy and tell them you have petitions like that to deliver. I wasn’t sure if we’d end up with a warm welcome or a message not to come. Thankfully, the Lord blessed us with favour and they welcomed us.

David & Christina: Winners of the Call for Mercy Video Contest

Helping out in VOM’s delivery efforts were the winners of the Call for Mercy film contest, David and Christina, who are brother and sister and both students at Asbury University. Their winning contest entry was a 97-second call to action that has now encouraged more than 30,000 YouTube viewers to sign the Call For Mercy petition.

The Pakistani Embassy representative who deals with human rights issues met with us and thanked the VOM team for interest in Asia’s case. She reminded the team that the legal process in Asia’s case is still going forward. The appeal of her death sentence is currently before the High Court, and if it fails there, it could be appealed further to the Supreme Court, the final judicial authority in Pakistan. Even if it fails there, a presidential pardon is possible, the embassy representative said.

Todd Nettleton said:

The Embassy and the Pakistani government want us to be patient, to let their legal system do its job. But while we are waiting, Asia Bibi is sitting in a jail cell, separated from her husband and her daughters. We are calling for mercy on this family now. Asia and her family shouldn’t have to wait any longer.

Voice of the Martyrs is committed to continuing the Call For Mercy campaign, in cooperation with Pakistani Christians who began the campaign, until Asia Bibi is released from prison. You can still sign the petition at www.CallForMercy.com. Please encourage your friends to add their voices to this important effort.

Thirteen Three is a youth initiative of Voice of the Martyrs Australia.

Related Posts

• Urgent Prayer Needed: Christian Woman Sentenced to Death in Pakistan
• August Prayer Alert: Asia Bibi
• A Call for Mercy Video Contest Winner
• Share Your Prayers: International Day of Prayer