In 1/3 of the world’s countries it is forbidden to evangelize
Laws prohibiting blasphemy are ‘alarmingly widespread’ throughout the world, with many countries setting disproportionate punishments ranging from imprisonment to the death penalty.
A report on anti-blasphemy and anti conversion laws were presented this month by the US-sanctioned Commission on International Religious Freedom. Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Qatar rank first in a list of 71 countries that criminalize views considered blasphemous.
In practice, this means that a person can+not change his religion and those who dare to say that the religious ideals of the majority of the population are wrong are subject to being taxed as criminals.
‘We found patterns. All these laws, somehow, deviate from the principles of freedom of expression. They all have a vague formulation, which generate different interpretations,’ the report’s author, Joelle Fiss, told Reuters.
The ranking was established on how the prohibition of a blasphemy or criminalization of a state violates the principles of international law. Ireland and Spain, which have anti-blasphemy laws that are considered light and rarely invoked, provide only a fine.
However, 86% of countries with blasphemy laws provide for arrest for the accused. The vast majority are Islamic nations, which invoke Sharia religious law above national laws.
The proportionality of the punishment was a fundamental criterion for the researchers. ‘That is why Iran and Pakistan are the two most dangerous countries because they explicitly put the death penalty in their laws,’ Fiss said, referring to legislation that imposes death on anyone who ‘insults’ the Prophet Muhammad.
The bigger question is that if a Christian claims that Jesus is God or that he is greater than Muhammad, he can already be accused of blasphemy. Within Islamic practice, the fact that a person born in one Muslim family is converted to another religion is enough to be considered a blasphemer.
In short, blasphemy laws are equivalent to anti-conversion laws and can be used by authorities to crack down on minorities, according to the report. This can serve as a pretext for religious extremists to foment hatred against those who think differently from them.
A recent case of an accusation of blasphemy involved the former governor of Jakarta, Indonesia. Christian, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as ‘Ahok’, was sentenced to two years in prison after saying he did not agree with Koranic verse that a Muslim should only elect a Muslim leader.
UN experts have criticized the Indonesian court’s ruling, calling the ruling ‘unfair and political’. Another case of great repercussion was in Pakistan, where Taimoor Raza, 30, was sentenced to death for having made comments considered ‘blasphemous’ on Facebook. His critique of Muhammad placed him on the death row along with dozens of others who somehow offended Muslims.
According to the report of the Commission on International Religious Freedom, in some countries such as Saudi Arabia, sharia courts decide who is accused of blasphemy, so there is no need for a specific law.
According to Fiss, the trial is ‘very vague,’ sometimes an accuser’s word suffices, with no need to present evidence. According to Sharia, the testimony of a ‘non-Islamic infidel’ has no value.
