Silenced: How Apostasy and Blasphemy Codes Are Choking Freedom Worldwide

by Paul Marshall

  24. David Harris, “Journalist’s Plight Needs Attention,” December 8, 2006, http://www.juf.org/news/world.aspx?id=19392.

  25. Personal communication with Salauddin Shoaib Choudhury, February 23, 2008.

  26. Richard Benkin, “Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury Attacked by Goons: Anti-Radical, Pro-Peace Muslim Journalist Savaged in Broad Daylight,” The Canada Free Press, February 22, 2009, http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/8699.

  27. “Bangladesh Cartoonist Arrested,” September 18, 2007, http://rumiahmed.wordpress.com/2007/09/18/bangladesh-cartoonist-arrested/. The cartoon may be viewed at http://www.islam-watch.org/M.Hussain/Islamic-Rage-Why-Cartoon-in-Bangladesh-Kills-Christians-in-Nigeria.htm. See also Aminesh Roul, “Bangladesh: Cartoon Injustice,” October 31, 2007, http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=11781.

  28. “Bangladesh’s Cartoonist Hero,” October 1, 2007, http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/10/01/bangladeshs-cartoonist-hero/.

  29. Ain O Shalish Kendra (ASK) press release, January 24, 2008, http://www.askbd.org/main2.php.

  30. “Islamists Battle Cats,” October 1, 2007, http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/09/18/islamists-battle-cats/.

  31. ASK press release.

  32. “Cartoonist Arrested over Harmless Play on Name Mohammed,” Reporters Without Borders, http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23700.

  33. “IPI Protests Jailing of Cartoonist in Bangladesh and Suspension of Publication of Satirical Weekly,” September 25, 2007, http://www.freemedia.at/cms/ipi/statements_detail.html?ctxid=CH0055&docid=CMS1190721263476.

  34. The 3rd World View, http://rezwanul.blogspot.com/.

  35. “Cartoonist Jailed,” Agence France Presse (AFP), November 13, 2009, http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=325879&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24.

  36. William Gomes, “Dhaka, Islamic Leaders Accused of Blasphemy: Protests and More Than 100 Arrests,” AsiaNews.it, July 1, 2010, http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Dhaka,-Islamic-leaders-accused-of-blasphemy:-protests-and-more-than-100-arrests-18819.html.

  37. In the draft of the Jakarta Charter, the first principle was formulated as: “One Lordship with the obligation to carry out the Islamic syari’a for its adherents,” but on August 18 the Preparatory Committee for Indonesia’s Independence (PPKI) dropped the phrase and affirmed Pancasila in its present form. The phrase “with the obligation to carry out the Islamic syari’a for its adherents” is often known in Indonesia as the “7 words” (in Indonesian, it is seven words) and Islamist groups have often sought to reinstate it.

  38. On the advice of Matius Ho, we have put “Lordship” rather than “God” here. In Indonesian, “God” is “Allah,” the God of Islam and Christians. But the Pancasila uses “Ketuhanan,” a variation of “Tuhan,” best translated as “Lord” in English. The prefix “ke-” and the suffix “-an” makes it an abstract idea, reflected best in “Lordship.”

  39. “Prominent Journalist Tells Court How Indonesia’s Religion Law Jailed Him,” Jakarta Glove, February 10, 2010, http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/prominent-journalist-tells-court-how-indonesias-religion-law-jailed-him/357820.

  40. For an overview, see the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, “Indonesian Constitutional Court Hears Challenge to Blasphemy Law,” February 9, 2010, and the Becket Fund’s Amicus Brief in the case, http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/article/1209.html; “Indonesia,” International Religious Freedom Report 2008; “Court Chief Promises Fair Ruling,” Jakarta Post, February 13, 2010, http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/02/13/court-chief-promises-fair-ruling.html; “Constitutional Court Taking Up Indonesia’s Thorny Religious Row,” Jakarta Globe, February 4, 2010, http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/constitutional-court-taking-up-indonesias-thorny-religious-row/356799.

  41. Chris Blake, “Indonesia Court Upholds Blasphemy Law,” AP, April 20, 2010, http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPQn6EhCh4bg7T1uaEV-Wo5pdnwQD9F6IML01.

  42. Sadanand Dhume, “Strict Penalties in Aceh,” September 15, 2009, http://www.asiasociety.org/policy-politics/human-rights/strict-penalties-aceh.

  43. Siding and Acting Intolerantly (Berpihak dan Bertindak Intoleran), SETARA Institute for Democracy and Peace (Jakarta), 2008 Annual Report (January 13, 2009), lists 367 violations of religious freedom in 265 incidents, 103 of which occurred in June 2008, when persecution of Ahmadiyyahss escalated.

  44. Theresia Sufa, “Thousands besiege Ahmadiyah complex,” Jakarta Post, July 16, 2005.

  45. “Ahmadiyah Prepares Legal Action Against MUI,” Jakarta Post, July 19, 2005.

  46. Rendi A. Witular, “MUI to Formulate Edict Against ‘Liberal Thoughts,’ ” Jakarta Post, July 27, 2005.

  47. Richard Kraince, “The Challenge to Religious Liberty in Indonesia,” The Heritage Foundation, June 1, 2009, http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/06/the-challenge-to-religious-liberty-in-indonesia.

  48. “Indonesia,” International Religious Freedom Report 2006, U.S. State Department, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71341.htm.

  49. Kraince, “The Challenge to Religious Liberty in Indonesia.”

  50. “English translation of Indonesian Joint Ministerial Decree (SKB) against Ahmadiyah,” http://www.thepersecution.org/world/indonesia/docs/skb.html.

  51. Kraince, “The Challenge to Religious Liberty in Indonesia.”

  52. “Govt Calls It a Day for Ahmadiyah,” Jakarta Post, June 10, 2008.

  53. “Jakarta’s Slippery Slope,” Review and Outlook, Wall Street Journal, June 25, 2008;

  “Indonesian Muslims Urge Ahmadiyya Sect Disbanded,” Reuters, August 4, 2008, http://wwrn.org/articles/29134/; “Indonesia,” International Religious Freedom Report 2008 (n. 4 above).

  54. Sarah Webb, “Former Indonesian President Urges Religious Tolerance,” Reuters, June 25, 2008.

  55. “Indonesia: Sunday School Teachers Sentenced to Three Years in Prison,” Compass Direct News, September 1, 2005, http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&lang=en&length=long&idelement=3949&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Indonesia&rowcur=50; “Indonesia: High Court Rejects Appeal for School Teachers,” Compass Direct News, December 21, 2005, http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4138&lang=en&length=short&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Indonesia&rowcur=25; “Indonesia: Court Rejects Legal Intervention for Jailed Teachers,” Compass Direct News, January 24, 2006, http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4178&lang=en&length=short&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Indonesia&rowcur=25; “Indonesia: Imprisoned Sunday School Teachers Released,” Compass Direct News, June 8, 2007, http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4902&lang=en&length=short&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Indonesia&rowcur=25.

  56. “Indonesia: Christian Lecturer Attacked in West Java,” Compass Direct News, November 16, 2006, http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&lang=en&length=long&idelement=4629&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Indonesia&rowcur=25. On September 6, 2007, the Malang District Court sentenced forty-one members of the College Student Services Agency to five years in prison for creating a training video in which, allegedly, trainees placed Qur’ans on the ground. The following August, they were given reprieves as part of Indonesian Day celebrations. See “Indonesia,” International Religious Freedom Report 2009, U.S. State Department, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127271.htm.

  57. “Indonesia,” International Religious Freedom Report 2008; “Al-Qiyadah Al-Islamiyah: Mini theocracy in Bogor and Padang,” http://www.indonesiamatters.com/1435/theocracy/.

  58. “Al-Qiyadah Al-Islamiyah: Mini Theocracy in Bogor and Padang”; “Majelis Ulama: The MUI Rides the Anti-heretic Wave to More Money and Influence,” http://www.indonesiamatters.com/1434/ulama/; “Two Former Al-Qiyadah Activists Get 3 Years for Blasphemy,” Jakarta Post, http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/05/03/two-former
-alqiyadah-activists-get-three-years-blasphemy.html; Tad Stahnke, “Obama’s Indonesian Opportunity,” Human Rights First, March 17, 2010.

  59. “Indonesia,” International Religious Freedom Report 2006.

  60. “Lia Eden,” Indonesia Matters, December 31, 2005, http://www.indonesiamatters.com/260/lia-eden-trial.

  61. “Indonesian Court Overturns Ruling on Religious Sect, Jails Senior Member,” BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, November 14, 2007; “Indonesia,” International Religious Freedom Report 2008.

  62. Erwida Maulia, “Sect Leader Gets 2.5 Years for Blasphemy,” Jakarta Post, July 30, 2009, http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/07/30/sect-leader-gets-25-years-blasphemy.html.

  63. “Moderate Muslim Threatened with Death Fatwa for Defending Freedom of Religion,” Kompas, February 9, 2004; Ulil Abshar Abdalla, interview with Paul Marshall, Jakarta, January 2, 2004.

  64. Richard Paddock, “Separation of Mosque and State Wanes in Indonesia,” Los Angeles Times, March 20, 2006.

  65. Chris Tryhorn and agencies, “Indonesian Editor Charged with Offending Islam,” MediaGuardian, July 21, 2006, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jul/21/pressandpublishing.race; The Committee to Protect Journalists, “Indonesia Detains Online News Editor over Prophet Drawings,” July 20, 2006, http://cpj.org/2006/07/indonesia-detains-online-news-editor-over-prophet.php; “Jakarta Court Dismisses Case Against Santosa,” Reporters Without Borders, September 20, 2006, http://www.rsf.org/Jakarta-court-dismisses-case.html.

  66. Liz Gooch, “Malaysian Court Ends Ban on Book,” New York Times, January 26, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/world/asia/26malaysia.html?ref=world. See also Perry Smith, “Speak No Evil: Apostasy, Blasphemy and Heresy in Malaysian Syariah Law,” UC Davis Journal of International Law and Policy 10, no. 2 (Spring 2004): 358–403, http://www.iclrs.org/common/documents/pdf/2393.pdf.

  67. Paul Wiseman, “In Malaysia, ‘Islamic Civilization’ Is Promoted,” USA Today, November 4, 2004, http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-11-03-malaysia-islam_x.htm.

  68. Julia Zappei, “Malaysia: Catholic Paper That Used Allah Can Print,” AP, January 8, 2009, http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2009Jan08/0,4670,ASMalaysiaCatholicNewspaper,00.html; “Malaysian Government Defeated by History: Christians Have Used the Word “Allah” for Centuries,” AsiaNews.it, February 25, 2009, http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=14574; “Malaysia: Ban Lifted on Malay Section of Catholic Newspaper,” Compass Direct, January 9, 2009, http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=5757&lang=en&length=short&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Malaysia&rowcur=0.

  69. “Islamic Councils Against Catholic Magazine of Kuala Lumpur: Forbidden to Use the Word ‘Allah,’ ” AsiaNews.it, November 26, 2008, http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13850.

  70. “Malaysia Restores ‘Allah’ Ban for Christians,” AP, March 2, 2009, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,503504,00.html. The decision was upheld by the courts in May 2009; see “Malaysia Court Refuses to Let Church Use ‘Allah,’” The Dawn Media Group, May 28, 2009, http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/14-malaysia-court-refuses-to-let-church-use-allah-zj-06; “Malaysia Court Suspends ‘Allah’ Ruling,” AFP, January 6, 2010, http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jdjxJHhJSxwW0qXtF-tOv447Y4Sw.

  71. James Hookway and Celine Fernandez, “ ‘Allah’ Ruling May Challenge Malaysia,” Wall Street Journal, January 2, 2010, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126239298638513113.html; Hookway and Fernandez, “Malaysia Says It Will Appeal ‘Allah’ Ruling,” Wall Street Journal, January 4, 2010, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126252276477713845.html; “3 Malaysian Churches Attacked in ‘Allah’ Dispute,” AP, January 8, 2010, http://www.chris-tianwebsite.com/forum/showthread.php?p=29185; Rachel Harvey, “Malaysia Church Attacks Continue in Use of ‘Allah’ Row,” BBC News, January 11, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8451630.stm; “Ninth Church Vandalized in Malaysia as Tensions Rise,” New York Times, January 11, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/world/asia/12malaysia.html; “Pig Head Find at Malaysia Mosques,” BBC News, January 27, 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8482267.stm: “Malaysia Won’t Punish Muslims for Taking Communion,” AP, March 4, 2010, http://www.siasat.com/english/news/malaysia-wont-punish-muslims-taking-communion.

  72. “Non-Muslims Not to Use 35 Islamic terms: Diktat,” Press Trust of India, January 15, 2010, http://www.zeenews.com/news596153.html. See also Joseph Chinyong Liow, “No God but God: Malaysia’s ‘Allah’ Controversy,” Foreign Affairs, February 10, 2010, http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65961/joseph-chinyong-liow/no-god-but-god.

  73. “Seizure of 15,000 Bibles in Malaysia tuns Christians,” Compass Direct News, November 7, 2009, http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/malaysia/11589/; Julia Zappei, “Malaysia Rejects Call to Release 10,000 Bibles,” AP, November 5, 2009, http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2009/11/05/malaysia_rejects_call_to_release_10000_bibles/.

  74. “Govt Bans 37 Publications on Islam Containing Twisted Facts,” BERNAMA News Agency, June 6, 2007, http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=265986.

  75. “Govt Bans Two Books Containing Twisted Facts on Islam,” BERNAMA News Agency, August 14, 2008, http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=352710; Liz Gooch, “Malaysian Court Ends Ban on Book,” New York Times, January 26, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/world/asia/26malaysia.html?ref=world.

  76. See “Mission and Objectives” on Web site http://www.sistersinislam.org.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=198&Itemid=164. SIS was formed in 1988 and registered as an NGO in 1993 under the name SIS Forum (Malaysia) Berhad. The name Sisters in Islam is retained as an authorship name.

  77. Sisters in Islam, “Press Statement: Banning of the Book on ‘Muslim Women and the Challenge of Islamic Extremism,’ ” August 21, 2008, http://www.sistersinislam.org.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=769&Itemid=1/.

  78. Liz Gooch, “Malaysian Court Ends Ban on Book.”

  79. “Clause Doesn’t Cover Muslims,” The Star Online, February 24, 2009, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/24/parliament/3330271&sec=parliament/. For background, see Perry Smith, “Speak No Evil: Apostasy, Blasphemy and Heresy in Malaysian Syariah Law”; Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil, “Law of Apostasy and Freedom of Religion in Malaysia,” Asian Journal of Comparative Law 2, no. 1 (2007): 1–36; Thio Li-Ann, “Apostasy and Religious Freedom: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Lina Joy Litigation,” Malayan Law Journal 2, no. 1 (April 2006). On the earlier treatment of blasphemy and apostasy in Malaysian law, see Mohamed Hashim Kamali, Freedom of Expression in Islam, rev. ed. (Cambridge: Islamic Texts Society, 1997), 273–93.

  80. “Renouncing Islam a Matter for Syariah Court Only,” New Straits Times, March 6, 1999.

  81. Angela Wu, “Lina Joy,” Wall Street Journal, September 7, 2006, http://www.becketfund.org/files/c8589.pdf.

  82. The card identifies who is a Muslim: information on others’ faith is recorded electronically and is not visible to the eye.

  83. Ashgar Ali Ali Mohamed, “Lina Joy v Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah & Anor,” Malaysian Law Journal 2 (2004): 119–44, http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/case/107.html.

  84. Doug Bandow, “The Right Not to Be Muslim,” National Review Online, June 8, 2007, http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Y2IyZmU2NDljNmEwMjIxNGNmMzI4NzFjZmNiMTQ5YjI.

  85. Jonathan Kent, “Malaysia ‘Convert’ Claims Cruelty,” BBC News, July 6, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/6278568.stm.

  86. Julia Zappei, “Muslim-Born Woman Seeks Life as Hindu,” ABC News, July 6, 2007, http://www.bookrags.com/news/muslim-born-woman-seeks-life-as-moc/.

  87. “Convert to Know Fate Next Month,” New Straits Times, July 21, 2007, http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/legal/general_news/convert_to_know_fate_next_month.html?date=2008-03-01/.

  88. Sharanjit Singh, “Syariah High Court Declares Convert No Longer a Muslim,” New Straits Times, May 8, 2008, http://www.
malaysianbar.org.my/legal/general_news/landmark_decision_syariah_high_court_declares_convert_no_longer_a_muslim.html.

  89. “M’sian Muslims Protest Ruling on Renunciation of Islam,” New Straits Times, May 16, 2008, http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20080516-65646.html.

  90. “Malaysian Court Upholds Muslim Return to Buddhism,” The China Post, March 17, 2009, http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/malaysia/2009/03/17/200426/Malaysian-court.htm/. In the recent case of Lim Yoke Khoon, the Shah Alam Court of Appeal denied her request to reconvert to Christianity on a technicality that Lim is expected to appeal. “Malaysia: Court Denies Woman’s Appeal to Leave Islam,” Compass Direct News, August 15, 2008, http://archive.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=5521&lang=en&length=short&backpage=archives&critere=&countryname=Malaysia&rowcur=0. In 2009, Malaysia banned the conversion of children without the consent of both parents; see “Malaysia Tackles Child Conversion,” BBC News, April 23, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8014025.stm. There had been a series of cases concerning the religious status of children in cases of conversion; see Sofianni Subki, “Custody Turmoil,” New Straits Times, September 15, 2003, http://www.hvk.org/articles/0903/203.html; “High Court Declines to Nullify Conversion of Minors to Islam,” New Straits Times, April 14, 2004, http://www.high-beam.com/doc/1P1-93434957.html. Another grievance for non-Muslims has been that religious authorities can confiscate and bury a body as a Muslim if a sharia judge rules the deceased a Muslim, which requires only the word of one Muslim witness. See “Body-snatching Divides Religions in Malaysia,” The Earth Times, June 22, 2009, http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/274242,body-snatching-divides-religions-in-malaysia-feature.html.