Rome, Italy, Aug 28, 2012 / 11:02 am
The head of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue has voiced support for a Christian girl with Down syndrome in Pakistan, who was arrested for allegedly burning pages of the Quran.
In an interview with Vatican Radio on Aug. 25, Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran said the child, Rimsha Masih, "does not know how to read or write."
"Before asserting that a sacred text was the target of ridicule, the facts should be verified," he said.
Reports from some humanitarian organizations in the region said the girl unintentionally burned the pages because they were mixed in with a pile of trash she collected to make a fire for cooking. Neighbors allegedly burst in to her home and accused her and her family of burning the Quran.