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New Freedom House Study Shows Blasphemy Laws a Serious Threat to Human Rights
by Freedom House https://www.legal-project.org/854/new-freedom-house-study-shows-blasphemy-laws Excerpt: Domestic blasphemy laws, far beyond their clear violation of freedom of expression, are responsible for broad violations of human rights, particularly when applied in weak democracies and authoritarian systems, according to a study released by Freedom House today. Policing Belief: The Impact of Blasphemy on Human Rights examines how governments use these laws to legitimize crackdowns on minority groups, dissidents and other divergent views under the pretext of maintaining 'social harmony.' While Policing Belief uses cases studies of seven countries—Algeria, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Poland—the findings are indicative of the danger blasphemy laws pose more broadly, particularly in countries lacking strong democratic safeguards. "It is unsurprising that blasphemy laws violate the fundamental freedom of expression, as they protect religious institutions and doctrine—abstract ideas and concepts—from insult, offence, or debate," said Courtney C. Radsch, editor of the report and freedom of expression officer at Freedom House. "It is perhaps more surprising that the majority of people impacted by these laws are in fact Muslims who are not able to practice—or not practice—their faith in the way that they choose." Read the complete original version of this item... receive the latest by email: subscribe to the legal project's free mailing list Note: The content of external articles does not necessarily reflect the views of The Legal Project. |
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