The Guardian (UK) reports: A man who created a Facebook page poking fun at a revered Greek Orthodox monk has been sentenced to 10 months in prison in Greece after being found guilty of blasphemy…. Filippos Loizos, 28, … used a play on words to portray Father Paisios as a traditional pasta-based dish [pastitsio -EV] […]
Archive | Blasphemy
Mauritanian Convicted of Apostasy
AllAfrica and The Malay Mail Online, as well as other outlets, so report. From AllAfrica: A young Muslim man in Mauritania is facing a possible death sentence after being convicted of apostasy and jailed for having written an article criticising the prophet Mohammed, a judicial source said … He … “was convicted of lack of […]
Blasphemy Death Sentences in Pakistan
Two men were sentenced to death in Pakistan for “claim[ing] that they had seen God” and “invit[ing] other people to join them in their union with God through Chaman Sarkar” (apparently a local religious leader), The Express Tribune (affiliated with the International New York Times) reported Sunday. Thanks to Religion Clause for the pointer.
You Can’t Force Public School Students to Salute the Flag (or to Hold Their Hands over Their Hearts)
That’s been well-settled First Amendment law for 70 years, but some government officials are still not on top of it. Three years ago, a judge’s attempt to force people to say the Pledge hit the news; now, it’s a Florida teacher. According to Hernando Today, An Explorer K8 teacher was suspended [for five days without […]
Irish Constitutional Convention Recommends Referendum on Changing Blasphemy Ban to “Incitement to Religious Hatred” Ban
The Irish Constitution expressly prohibits blasphemy; the Irish Constitutional Convention has just voted to recommend a referendum on replacing this provision with a ban on “incitement to religious hatred,” though delegates were split on whether there should be a statutory blasphemy ban as well: Voting yesterday on whether the offence of blasphemy should be kept […]
10-Year Sentence in Kuwait for Blasphemy and for Criticism of Saudi and Bahrain Rulers
From Agence France Press: Kuwait’s court of appeals on Monday upheld a 10-year jail term against a Shia tweeter for remarks [on Twitter] deemed offensive to Islam’s Prophet Mohammed, his wife and companions. Hamad al-Naqi … was found guilty of the religious insults and of criticising the leaders of neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, according […]
“Messiah” Returns
A month ago, a Tennessee judge ordered that a child’s first name be changed from “Messiah,” reasoning: “The word Messiah is a title and it’s a title that has only been earned by one person and that one person is Jesus Christ,” Judge Ballew said…. According to Judge Ballew, it is the first time she […]
Atheist Bangladeshi Bloggers Being Prosecuted for “Defaming Islam and the Prophet Mohammed”
Agence France Press reports: “They have been indicted… with defaming Islam, the Prophet Mohammed and other religions through their Internet writings. They spread malice against all religions,” [Judge Zahirul Haque] said. [Prosecutor Shah Alam] Talukdar said if found guilty the bloggers, who are free on bail, could be sentenced to seven years in jail under […]
Rationalist Activist Murdered in India
From today’s
Singaporean Resort Owner in Malaysia Arrested, Loses Permanent Residency, for Letting Buddhists Meditate in Muslim Prayer Room
The Malay Mail reports: The holiday resort owner in Sedili Besar, near Kota Tinggi, was released on police bail yesterday, after being remanded for four days to facilitate investigations into him allowing the resort’s surau to be used for a Buddhist religious ceremony. Johor police had said that the investigation papers of the case were, […]
Judge Orders That Child’s Name Be Changed from “Messiah”
So reports The Tennesseean; the parents came before the court because of a dispute over what the child’s last name should be, but the judge changed the child’s first name as well, giving two reasons: “The word Messiah is a title and it’s a title that has only been earned by one person and that […]
7 Years in Prison + 600 Lashes in Saudi Arabia for “Insulting Islam”
CNN reports: A Saudi court has sentenced a activist to seven years in prison and 600 lashes for violating the nation’s anti-cybercrime law, Human Rights Watch reported Wednesday. A Jeddah Criminal Court found Raif Badawi, who has been in prison since June 2012, guilty this week of insulting Islam through his website and in television […]
Sri Lanka Bans Time Magazine with Cover Story on Buddhist-Led Pogroms in Myanmar
So Agence France Press reported last week: Customs department spokesman Leslie Gamini said they held the July 1 issue, because it carried a photo of a prominent Myanmar monk under the headline: “The Face of Buddhist Terror” “By operation of law these magazines will be confiscated,” Gamini said. “We did not allow this issue to […]
Muslim Cleric in Egypt Sentenced to 11 Years for Ripping up Bible, Insulting Christianity, and “Disturbing Peace and Security”
So reports Daily News Egypt: Coptic lawyer Naguib Gabriel had filed a complaint against Abu Islam, accusing the preacher of insulting the Christian faith and Egyptian women, specifically Christian women. Abu Islam, who owns Al-Omma satellite channel, tore a Bible apart on 11 September 2012 at a protest outside the US Embassy in Cairo against […]
Schoolteacher in Egypt Fined $14,000 for Allegedly Insulting Islam
Daily News Egypt reports: Demiana Abdel Nour, a 24-year-old social studies teacher in Luxor, was summoned by the public prosecutor on 8 May after parents of three students at Sheikh Sultan Primary School filed complaints claiming that Abdel Nour insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad by saying that the late [Coptic] Pope Shenouda III performed […]