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Friday, December 07, 2012

Move Over, Pakistan: Blasphemy Laws Now Making Headlines in ... Europe


Blasphemy laws take hits in Netherlands and Ireland, but alive and well in Greece—and soon, Russia.

Pakistan is no longer the only country making headlines for its blasphemy laws. Some European countries are now striking down laws that criminalize offenses against religion. But other countries are strengthening them.

Russia announced this week that it will postpone adoption of controversial anti-blasphemy legislation in order to gather more input from the public. The law, which punishes "acts that offend religious sentiment," was proposed by President Vladimir Putin's political party after members of the band Pussy Riot were jailed for their anti-Putin protest in a cathedral.

Meanwhile, the Dutch parliament has accepted a motion to do away with a 1992 law that made it a crime to insult God. Read more

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