Leeds imam Qari Asim wins damages over false accusation he supported hanging of Christian woman in Pakistan

Leeds imam and Government adviser Qari Asim has been awarded damages and a full apology after the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online falsely accused him of supporting the hanging of a Christian woman in Pakistan.
Leeds imam Qari Asim. Photo: JPI MediaLeeds imam Qari Asim. Photo: JPI Media
Leeds imam Qari Asim. Photo: JPI Media

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Mr Asim, who is a senior Imam at Leeds Makkah Mosque, Chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, and the Government’s adviser on defining Islamophobia, won the apology at the High Court today. The publications will also pay libel damages as well as his legal costs.

It comes after an article published on April 6 last year, which falsely claimed Mr Asim supported the proposed hanging of a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, in Pakistan for blasphemy.

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The publications said this was due to his support of a protest in the country which was led by a number of people including extremist cleric Khadim Rizvi.

The article also falsely alleged that Mr Asim endorsed the brutal murder of Asad Shah, the shopkeeper in Glasgow who was brutally murdered by an extremist in 2016.

But in court today it was admitted that not only were these allegations false but, to the contrary, Mr Asim publicly and vociferously condemned both these crimes, and actively campaigned for Ms Bibi to be given asylum in the UK.

In a statement made in court the publisher, Associated Newspapers, withdrew the false allegations and issued a full apology to Mr Asim. The apology has also been published on MailOnline, on the MailOnline App, and prominently in the print edition of the Mail on Sunday.

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Speaking afterwards, Mr Asim said: “The publication of these false allegations has been extremely distressing for me, not least as I have spent many years working to promote peace and building and improving inter-faith relations at a local, national and international level.

“The inaccurate reporting about me is yet another example of the plethora of inaccurate, myth-making stories reported about British Muslims in sections of the media in recent years.

“It tars the diligent work by many journalists across the country.

“I welcome the decision taken by Associated Newspapers both to apologise formally and pay a suitable sum in damages, in recognition of the gravity of the falsehoods that were published."

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A statement posted on the MailOnline said: “On 6 April 2019, we alleged that Mr Qari Asim MBE, through his support of a protest led by a number of individuals including an extremist cleric, Khadim Rizvi, supported the proposed hanging of a Christian woman (Asia Bibi) for blasphemy and endorsed the brutal murder of Asad Shah.

“We now accept that Mr Asim does not support the hanging of Asia Bibi or the murder of Asad Shah. To the contrary, we accept that Mr Asim has publicly condemned both these crimes, and campaigned for Ms Bibi to be given asylum in the UK. We are happy to make the position clear, and apologise to Mr Asim for any distress caused.”