Pakistani Christian teen arrested on blasphemy charge

16-year-old was working in hospital when he was accused of insulting Mohammad

A 16-year-old Christian working at a hospital in Pakistan has been arrested for allegedly using derogatory remarks against the Muslim prophet Mohammad.

Pakistani police said the teenager has been detained on blasphemy charges and was relocated for his safety, AP reported.

The arrest took place Friday in the town of Kharian in eastern Punjab province,

Under the Muslim country’s blasphemy laws, anyone convicted of insulting Allah, Islam, the Quran, Mohammad or other religious figures can be sentenced to severe punishments, including death. Rights organizations say the law is often misused to settle personal scores.

The highest profile case involving the Pakistani blasphemy laws is that of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother who was accused of insulting the prophet Mohammad in 2010. She has been on death row since her conviction, but languishes in a Pakistani prison awaiting a judgment on appeal.