"I'm sick. I feel suffocated between these four walls all the time. Every minute that passes I seem to be the last. I wake up every morning thinking that this will be my last day." It is a desperate cry that launched the Asia Bibi solitary confinement of prison Sheikpura in Pakistani Punjab, where he is imprisoned, sentenced to death for blasphemy, in the first interview granted since the beginning of its history.
The woman, a mother of five children, was arrested in 2009 and sentenced in 2010: his guilt, according to neighbors, would be insulting Muhammad and refusing to convert to Islam. The case became an international issue when the proposal to amend the blasphemy law in the wake of its history, generated a wave of violence in Pakistan: an anger which culminated in the murder in January and March, the Governor of Punjab Tasmeer body and the minister of religious minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, who had fought for the change.
After these deaths, the circle around Asia Bibi is narrow further. Today he lives in isolation: it can not leave his cell even for air, because there are fears that are being murdered. Relatives and lawyers are threatened. She is ill, and those who know it is worried about his health, both physically and mentally.
This concern is one reason that explains the choice to break the silence, speaking for the first time with a newspaper. Asia Bibi answered questions via her husband, Ashiq, the only person with his legally authorized to meet, and the London office of Masihi Foundation, which is responsible for its defense.
Madam Bibi, first wants to tell us how are you? "Before I answer your question, I want to send my thanks to all who are concerned about me and are praying for me. I'm very ill. The news of the death of Shahbaz Bhatti has devastated me and I can not recover. I I feel suffocated in these four walls all the time.
Every minute that passes I seem to be the last. I wake up every morning thinking that maybe that will be my last day and then I cry. I weep for my children and my husband. " Tell us how to live ... "My living conditions in prison are not simple. They are in isolation and I can not talk to anyone apart from the prison staff, with whom, however, I would not speak.
I am in a very difficult situation, no one can understand what I'm living: I was sentenced to death and I am innocent. I have not committed any crime and yet every person in this jail at me like I'm living the most horrible person in the world. " Is he afraid? "Yes I'm afraid, are terrified for my life, my children and my husband.
Do not take it anymore and I do not think that out of this miserable place. The thing that worries me most are my daughters, who are suffering with me, I feel as if my whole family had been convicted. This makes me sad and makes me feel like I'm responsible, as if I were I to fail at something.
The women in this world are called to build a house, a future, along with their families, but I? I can promise that future for my family, my daughters, if they are locked in here? I would like to offer them a safer life in another place: in some place other than Pakistan. But I know that maybe I will not live to get to see this future.
I'd be happy if only I knew that my family is safe. But I do know that if I got out of prison, even if the court decides that they are innocent, we do not survive, neither I nor my family. The extremists do not ever leave us in peace: I am a marked woman. But my faith is strong and I believe that the merciful God will answer my prayers.
"He is aware that his has become an international incident? In Pakistan and in many other countries around his affair were heated debates and controversy? If this news The judges have come as much interest? It is proving useful for his case? "My world is locked inside these four walls. I have heard many things about these discussions, they told me, but so much noise did not lead to any change in my condition of life.
Two of the people who supported me more in Pakistan, who have made their voices heard for me, died. I am terrified for anyone out there is risking his life for me and for many other people who are suffering for me. I fear not only for my family, but also to my lawyers and the Masihi foundation, who with such generosity is helping my family.
I pray to God every day that people who are on my side nothing happens. "What he thought when he learned that two people who had fought for her had been murdered, one after the other, and what many people, Pakistan have enjoyed for these deaths? "I felt a terrible pain when I learned of the death of Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti first then: I was speechless, in shock.
Then I got angry, I did not believe it: my heart goes out to their families and all those who loved them. They gave their lives for a cause, I'd like the whole world to recognize their struggle and their sacrifice, which were made in the name of humanity. Since then, I spend many sleepless nights.
I am frustrated and I think my life is at a standstill. I'm desperately waiting to get out of this prison and I want to ask for help at all because to do something to resolve this case. The people here in Pakistan use the blasphemy law to resolve their personal issues: the law should just be abolished, because it hurts everyone, whether Christian or Muslim.
No one will ever be safe in Pakistan as long as this law will continue to exist. I am sure to be an innocent victim of this law, suffer and the whole world must know that I suffer without having committed any crime. "Let's talk about the future, Madam Bibi, what do dreams of when it comes out? What will be your first gesture? "thank God for taking care of me and my family.
Strong embrace each and every member of my family and then I will make with them a big dinner to celebrate. Then thank the people who do not know personally but who are doing so much to me as Haroon Masih Masihi the foundation, which I've heard so much talk. But my biggest dream is to meet Pope Benedict.
Haroon I did get the news that the Holy Father spoke to me: it gave me a great deal of hope, inspired me to continue to live, made me feel loved and like the whole world was with me. I felt honored: it is a privilege to know who spoke to me, he gave my name, which follows my case personally.
I would live to see the day when I can meet him and thank him in person. " 
The woman, a mother of five children, was arrested in 2009 and sentenced in 2010: his guilt, according to neighbors, would be insulting Muhammad and refusing to convert to Islam. The case became an international issue when the proposal to amend the blasphemy law in the wake of its history, generated a wave of violence in Pakistan: an anger which culminated in the murder in January and March, the Governor of Punjab Tasmeer body and the minister of religious minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, who had fought for the change.
After these deaths, the circle around Asia Bibi is narrow further. Today he lives in isolation: it can not leave his cell even for air, because there are fears that are being murdered. Relatives and lawyers are threatened. She is ill, and those who know it is worried about his health, both physically and mentally.
This concern is one reason that explains the choice to break the silence, speaking for the first time with a newspaper. Asia Bibi answered questions via her husband, Ashiq, the only person with his legally authorized to meet, and the London office of Masihi Foundation, which is responsible for its defense.
Madam Bibi, first wants to tell us how are you? "Before I answer your question, I want to send my thanks to all who are concerned about me and are praying for me. I'm very ill. The news of the death of Shahbaz Bhatti has devastated me and I can not recover. I I feel suffocated in these four walls all the time.
Every minute that passes I seem to be the last. I wake up every morning thinking that maybe that will be my last day and then I cry. I weep for my children and my husband. " Tell us how to live ... "My living conditions in prison are not simple. They are in isolation and I can not talk to anyone apart from the prison staff, with whom, however, I would not speak.
I am in a very difficult situation, no one can understand what I'm living: I was sentenced to death and I am innocent. I have not committed any crime and yet every person in this jail at me like I'm living the most horrible person in the world. " Is he afraid? "Yes I'm afraid, are terrified for my life, my children and my husband.
Do not take it anymore and I do not think that out of this miserable place. The thing that worries me most are my daughters, who are suffering with me, I feel as if my whole family had been convicted. This makes me sad and makes me feel like I'm responsible, as if I were I to fail at something.
The women in this world are called to build a house, a future, along with their families, but I? I can promise that future for my family, my daughters, if they are locked in here? I would like to offer them a safer life in another place: in some place other than Pakistan. But I know that maybe I will not live to get to see this future.
I'd be happy if only I knew that my family is safe. But I do know that if I got out of prison, even if the court decides that they are innocent, we do not survive, neither I nor my family. The extremists do not ever leave us in peace: I am a marked woman. But my faith is strong and I believe that the merciful God will answer my prayers.
"He is aware that his has become an international incident? In Pakistan and in many other countries around his affair were heated debates and controversy? If this news The judges have come as much interest? It is proving useful for his case? "My world is locked inside these four walls. I have heard many things about these discussions, they told me, but so much noise did not lead to any change in my condition of life.
Two of the people who supported me more in Pakistan, who have made their voices heard for me, died. I am terrified for anyone out there is risking his life for me and for many other people who are suffering for me. I fear not only for my family, but also to my lawyers and the Masihi foundation, who with such generosity is helping my family.
I pray to God every day that people who are on my side nothing happens. "What he thought when he learned that two people who had fought for her had been murdered, one after the other, and what many people, Pakistan have enjoyed for these deaths? "I felt a terrible pain when I learned of the death of Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti first then: I was speechless, in shock.
Then I got angry, I did not believe it: my heart goes out to their families and all those who loved them. They gave their lives for a cause, I'd like the whole world to recognize their struggle and their sacrifice, which were made in the name of humanity. Since then, I spend many sleepless nights.
I am frustrated and I think my life is at a standstill. I'm desperately waiting to get out of this prison and I want to ask for help at all because to do something to resolve this case. The people here in Pakistan use the blasphemy law to resolve their personal issues: the law should just be abolished, because it hurts everyone, whether Christian or Muslim.
No one will ever be safe in Pakistan as long as this law will continue to exist. I am sure to be an innocent victim of this law, suffer and the whole world must know that I suffer without having committed any crime. "Let's talk about the future, Madam Bibi, what do dreams of when it comes out? What will be your first gesture? "thank God for taking care of me and my family.
Strong embrace each and every member of my family and then I will make with them a big dinner to celebrate. Then thank the people who do not know personally but who are doing so much to me as Haroon Masih Masihi the foundation, which I've heard so much talk. But my biggest dream is to meet Pope Benedict.
Haroon I did get the news that the Holy Father spoke to me: it gave me a great deal of hope, inspired me to continue to live, made me feel loved and like the whole world was with me. I felt honored: it is a privilege to know who spoke to me, he gave my name, which follows my case personally.
I would live to see the day when I can meet him and thank him in person. "
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