According to The Associated Press Qadri told the court he didn’t regret gunning the politician down because he killed “an apostate,” lawyers said.

Qadri has told authorities he killed Taseer because the governor spoke out against Pakistani blasphemy laws that impose the death sentence for insulting Islam.

The assassination horrified many in the population but those in the religious establishment and some legal circles have praised Qadri.

The court indicted Qadri on a murder charge in a closed session in the city of Rawalpindi, defense lawyer Shujaur Rehman Raja said.

When the judge asked Qadri if he’d intentionally killed Taseer, the 26-year-old said what he did wasn’t illegal.

“I treated an apostate as he was supposed to be under Islamic laws,” Qadri replied, according to his lawyer.

The court will continue to evaluate the case before sentencing. It ordered prosecutors to produce witnesses and evidence in the next hearing.

Thousands have rallied in support of Qadri, demanding his release, and there have been reports that getting prosecutors to show up to hearings has been a challenge.

Pakistan’s judicial system is complex and opaque, and the courts have abysmal conviction rates, especially in terrorism cases where witnesses and court officials can be intimidated.

However, prosecutors did appear Monday and promised to pursue justice.

“We have lot of evidence. We will ensure the maximum sentence,” state prosecutor Saiful Malook told The Associated Press.