The family of Christian Imran Masih owned a bookstore in Pakistan. One day in 2009, Imran was cleaning out the store, intending to burn some trash along with some books that were no longer wanted. One of the books he collected was in Arabic; in order to ensure it was not a religious text, Imran took it to a Muslim neighbor and asked. Reportedly, this neighbor told Imran he had nothing to worry about, but as the book was burning, he (the neighbor) removed it from the fire. It became evidence that Imran had burned a Qur’an.

Imran denied wrongdoing, but his neighbor spread word. Soon, the allegations of desecration were playing over mosque loudspeakers. A mob beat Imran along with his brother Naveed and his father Ghafur. The three were doused in kerosene and faced threats of immolation themselves. In an act of appeasement, police arrested Imran and charged him with blasphemy.

“Hang him who disgraces the Holy Qur'an… Christians are dogs; Imran is a dog.” - reported chants of the mob outside the police station

Despite maintaining his innocence, Imran was convicted the following year on charges of blasphemy. He received life imprisonment and a fine. His family, meanwhile, had been forced to move out of the city in fear for their lives.

In December 2020, after serving ten years of his life, Imran was acquitted of these charges. However, in order to protect their own safety, he and his family are now in hiding.