Silenced: How Apostasy and Blasphemy Codes Are Choking Freedom Worldwide

by Paul Marshall

  115. Andrew Norfolk, “BNP Chief Claims Acquittal Is His Victory for Freedom,” The Times, November 11, 2006, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article633564.ece.

  116. “Austrian Politician Threatened after Anti-Islam Comments: Ministry,” AFP, January 15, 2008, http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademia/framedo?tokenKey=rsh-20.744796507875964.html; “Austria Politician Gets Threats for Anti-Islam rant,” Al Arabiya News, January 16, 2008, http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/01/16/44271.html; “Austrian Court Rejects Venue Change for Trial of Politician Who Disparaged Prophet Muhammad,” AP, May 16, 2008, http://austriantimes.at/index.php?id=6017&print=1-newentry; “Austrian Far-right Legislator Convicted of Anti-Muslim Incitement,” Earth Times, January 22, 2009, http://www.topnews.in/node/113757/list.

  117. Christian Wienberg, “Danish Lawmakers Reported to Police for Remarks on Muslim Veils,” Bloomberg, April 20, 2007, http://blog.taragana.com/politics/2010/01/28/denmark-urges-full-use-of-rules-limiting-muslim-face-veil-says-no-ban-needed-15717/; “Danish MP Who Compared Muslim Veil to Swastika Escapes Charges,” AFP, September 24, 2007, http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2007/09/24/39530.html.

  118. Simon Bradley, “Anti-racism Body Slams Minaret Posters,” SwissInfo.ch, October 7, 2009, http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Specials/Minaret_Debate/Result_and_reactions/Anti-racism_body_slams_minaret_posters.html?cid=45310; Michael Soukup, “Why the Swiss Are Afraid of Minarets,” Spiegel Online, October 13, 2009, http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,654963,00.html.

  119. “Sweden Democrat Leader Reported for ‘Hate Speech,’” The Local (Sweden), October 20, 2009, http://www.thelocal.se/22762/20091020; “Politician Calls Islam Threat to Sweden,” United Press International, October 19, 2009, http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2009/10/19/Politician-calls-Islam-threat-to-Sweden/UPI-53791255969898/; http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/eur/136060.htm; “Sweden Democrats Lash Out Against Islam,” Sverige Radio, October 19, 2009, http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/international/artikel.asp?ProgramID=166&Nyheter=1&artikel=3177393. On a German case, see “German Central Bank Disempowers Board Member over Racist Remarks,” Deutsche Welle, October 13, 2009, http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4787728,00.html.

  120. “C4 ‘Distorted’ Mosque Program,” BBC News, August 8, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/6936681.stm.

  121. “Mosque Programme Claims Rejected,” BBC News, November 19, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/7101728.stm.

  122. “Police Apologise over Mosque Show,” BBC News, May 15, 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/7401704.stm.

  123. Pierre-Antoine Souchard, “French Author on Trial for Anti-Islam Comments,” AP, September 17, 2002, http://vigilant.tv/article/2189/upi-french-author-on-trial-for-islam-slurs; Philip Delves Broughton, “Writer Defends Right to Call Islam ‘Stupid,’” Telegraph (U.K.), September 18, 2002, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/1407582/Writer-defends-right-to-call-Islam-stupid.html; Pierre-Antoine Souchard, “French Court Throws Out Suit Against Writer’s Remarks on Islam,” AP, October 22, 2002; Joseph Coleman, “Trial of French Author Raises Questions about Freedom of Expression,” AP, October 23, 2002.

  124. “German Man Convicted of Disturbing Peace by Printing Name of Quran on Toilet Paper,” AP, February 23, 2006, http://sheikyermami.com/2008/01/08/german-businessman-who-printed-name-of-quran-on-toilet-paper-will-face-trial/; “Man Who Made ‘Koran’ Toilet Paper Escapes Jail,” Irish Times, February 24, 2006.

  125. As quoted in “Dutchman Acquitted of Insulting Islam,” NRC Handelsblad, March 10, 2009, http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2176521.ece/Dutchman_acquitted_of_insulting_Islam.

  126. Ms. Sabaditsch-Wolff was interviewed in Vienna by Nina Shea on May 9, 2010, and, through email correspondence, on February 23, 2011.

  127. Public Order Act 1986, http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1986/cukpga_19860064_en_2#pt1-l1g6; Crime and Security Act 2001, http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2001/ukpga_20010024_en_5#pt5-l1g39. The latter act amended the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which established categories of “racially aggravated” offenses, to include religion as well.

  128. Paul Bracchi, “It May Have Been a Victory for Free Speech, but Why Did Breakfast Insult of Muslim’s Faith Case Ever Come to Court?” Daily Mail, December 10, 2009, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1234680/It-victory-free-speech-did-breakfast-insult-Muslims-faith-case-come-court.html#; Jonathan Wynne-Jones, “Christian Hoteliers Received Violent Threats Over Muslim Guest ‘Insult,’” Telegraph (U.K.), December 12, 2009, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6796508/Christian-hoteliers-received-violent-threats-over-Muslim-guest-insult.html. Also in Liverpool, atheist Harry Taylor left leaflets at the airport mocking Jesus, the pope, and Islam and was given an “Anti-Social Behaviour Order” that forbade him from carrying religiously offensive material in a public place, as well as a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to perform community service and pay costs. “Atheist Given Asbo for Leaflets Mocking Jesus,” Telegraph, April 23, 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7624578/Atheist-given-Asbo-for-leaflets-mocking-Jesus.html.

  129. “Inmate Sues to Stop Use of Alpha Course in Jail,” news brief, Charisma, http://oralroberts.charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/232-unorganized/11308-news-briefs.

  130. “Catholics Back Muslim Claims Against Evangelical Christians,” Catholic News, March 22, 2005; Sarah Left, “Australian Ministry Vilified Muslims, Court Rules,” The Guardian, December 17, 2004, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/dec/17/australia.religion.

  131. Cardinal George Pell, “Religious Vilification,” Our People, July 3, 2005, http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/people/archbishop/stc/2005/200573_1095.shtml; see also Andrew West, “Religious Leaders Unite to Fight Vilification Laws,” Sydney Morning Herald, April 23, 2009, http://www.smh.com.au/national/religious-leaders-unite-to-fight-vilification-laws-20090422-affp.html?page=-1. For Forsyth, see “Pastors Reject Apology Order over Koran Comments,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 22, 2005, http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1397914.htm.

  132. The full text of Butler’s article is at http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=2274.

  133. Henri Astier, “Speech Row Rocks Multi-ethnic Canada,” BBC News, March 24, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7273870.stm.

  134. “MCC Shocked at OHRC Decision to Trumpet Islamist Cause,” Muslim Canadian Congress, April 9, 2008, http://ezralevant.com/Statement%20on%20OHCR%20Macleans%20complaint.pdf; Randall Palmer, “Muslims Test Press Freedom Limits in Canadian Case,” Reuters, January 6, 2008; “Rights Commission Dismisses Complaint Against Maclean’s,” CBC News, June 28, 2008; Brian Hutchinson, “The Court of Last Resort,” National Post, June 3, 2008; Mohamed Elmasry, Complaint Form, BC Human Rights Tribunal, http://www.steynonline.com/images/macleans%20hr%20bc%20elmasry.pdf; Joseph Brean, “Maclean’s Wins Third Round of Hate Fight,” National Post, October 11, 2008, http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=874166.

  135. Canadian Human Rights Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. H-6, http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/rsc-1985-c-h-6/latest/rsc-1985-c-h-6.html; Alan Borovoy, “Hearing Complaint Alters Rights Body’s Mandate,” The Calgary Herald, March 16, 2006, http://www.safs.ca/issuescases/aborovoy.html.

  136. Response to Stanley Kurtz, “Not Without a Fight,” in The New Criterion (Summer 2008 supp.): 15.

  137. Borovoy, “Hearing Complaint Alters Rights Body’s Mandate.”

  138. Colin Perkel, “Investigators Hijacked Internet Link, Man Alleges,” The Globe and Mail, April 3, 2008, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/article677447.ece; Charlie Gillis, “Righteous Crusader or Civil Rights Menace?” Macleans, April 9, 2008, http://www.macleans.ca/canada/national/article.jsp?content=20080409_48864_48864&page=1.

  139. Athanasios D. Hadjis, Richard Warman (Complainant) and Canadian Human Rights Commission (Commission) and Marc Lemire (Res
pondent), Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, September 2, 2009, http://chrt-tcdp.gc.ca/aspinc/search/vhtml-eng.asp?doid=981&lg=_e&isruling=0#1011252.

  140. Joseph Brean, “Hate Speech Law Unconstitutional: Rights Tribunal,” National Post, September 2, 2009, http://www.nationalpost.com/story-printer.html?id=1954734; Karen Kleiss, “Complaints Against Alberta Newspapers Dismissed by Human Rights Commission,” Edmonton Journal, September 23, 2009, http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Complaints+against+Alberta+newspapers+dismissed+human+rights+commission/2025833/story.html; Deborah Tetley, “Alberta Judge Rules in Favor of Author of Anti-gay Letter,” National Post, December 5, 2009, http://www.nationalpost.com/m/story.html?id=2305614&s=Today%27s%20Newspaper. On May 26, 2010, Judge Lusting suspended a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal hearing until the status of the section was clarified, see http://chrt-tcdp.gc.ca/aspinc/search/vhtml-eng.asp?doid=1012&lg=_e&isruling=0.

  141. Brendan Carlin, “Hatred Bill goes ahead despite Church protests,” Telegraph, July 12, 2005, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1493826/Hatred-Bill-goes-ahead-despite-Church-protests.html.

  142. “New Effort to Ban Religious Hate,” BBC News, June 11, 2005, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4075442.stm; “Britain’s ‘Mr. Bean’ Attacks Religious Hatred Bill,” New York Times, December 6, 2004, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/charles-moore/3613495/Is-it-only-Mr-Bean-who-resists-this-new-religious-intolerance.html; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldhansrd/vo051011/text/51011-04.htm.

  143. “Muslim Poll—November 2004,” The Guardian/ICM, p. 12, http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2004/11/30/Muslims-Nov041.pdf.

  144. Will Cummins, “We Must Be Allowed to Criticize Islam,” Telegraph (U.K.), July 12, 2004, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3608288/We-must-be-allowed-tocriticise-Islam.html.

  145. Edward Black, “Blackadder’s Deadly Serious Attack on ‘Religious Hate’ Bill,” The Scotsman, December 7, 2004, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118652185/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0; David Hencke, “Celebrities Join Fight to Amend Bill on Religious Hatred,” The Guardian, June 21, 2005, http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/jun/21/religion.immigrationpolicy.

  146. Sarah Hall and Tania Branigan, “Law to Safeguard Religion Is No Joke, Warns Blackadder,” The Guardian, December 7, 2004, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/dec/07/raceandreligion.broadcasting.

  147. “New Effort to Ban Religious Hate.”

  148. Jon Ungoed-Thomas, “Witches See an Opportunity in New Hate Bill,” The Times, October 23, 2005. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article581694.ece.

  149. “Silence, Blasphemers,” The Economist, June 25, 2005, http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-133548709.html; Brendan Carlin, “Hatred Bill Goes ahead Despite Church Protests,” Telegraph, July 12, 2005, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1493826/Hatred-Bill-goes-ahead-despite-Church-protests.html; “Free Speech v. Religion,” The Economist, December 9, 2004, http://www5.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=2743324&story_id=E1_PQSSRTG.

  150. James Jones, “As a Man of Faith, I Cannot Support the Religious Hatred Bill,” Telegraph (U.K.), October 24, 2005.

  151. “Religious Hatred Law Is No Joke,” Telegraph (U.K.), December 6, 2004, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/dec/07/raceandreligion.broadcasting.

  152. Maryam Namazie, “Political Islam in the Heart of Secular Europe,” address to the International Humanist and Ethical Union Congress, July 6, 2005, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0507/S00192.htm.

  153. Geoffrey Robertson, “Religion Must Remain Open to Criticism,” The Scotsman, January 26, 2005.

  154. Salman Rushdie, “Democracy Is No Polite Tea Party,” Los Angeles Times, February 7, 2005, http://articles.latimes.com/2005/feb/07/opinion/oe-rushdie7.

  155. House of Commons Debates (Hansard) for June 21, 2005, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050621/debtext/50621-29.htm.

  156. Stephen Bates and Julian Glover, “Christian Group May Seek Ban on the Qur’an,” The Guardian, October 12, 2005, http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/oct/12/religion.immigrationpolicy.

  157. “Muslims Warn Parties on Hate Bill,” Times (U.K.), February 6, 2005, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article511119.ece.

  158. David Charter, “New Laws Will Keep Freedom to Insult Islam,” The Times, January 26, 2005, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article506510.ece.

  159. House of Lords Debates (Hansard), October 11, 2005, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldhansrd/vo051011/text/51011-04.htm#51011-04_head3, and http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldhansrd/vo051011/text/51011-11.htm.

  160. Andrew Sparrow, “Mockery Is Good for the Faithful, Says Carey,” Telegraph (U.K.), October 21, 2005, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1501109/Mockery-is-good-for-the-faithful-says-Carey.html.

  161. “Government Suffers Chaotic Double Defeat over Bill to Combat Religious Hatred,” The Guardian, February 1, 2006, http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2006/feb/01/religion.immigrationpolicy. See Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006, Office of Public Sector Information, February 16, 2006, http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/ukpga_20060001_en_1.

  162. “Blasphemy: UK and Eire,” Caslon Analytics, http://www.caslon.com.au/blasphemyprofile8.htm; Sandberg and Doe, “Strange Death of Blasphemy,” 976–81.

  163. In the case, editor Denis Lemon was convicted of blasphemous libel and given a suspended sentence and fined; see Mark Thompson, “Sense Prevailed over Springer ‘Blasphemy,’” Telegraph (U.K.), June 12, 2007, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3644516/Sense-prevailed-over-Springer-blasphemy.html.

  164. Chamber Judgment, Giniewski v. France, European Court of Human Rights—Press Release Issued by the Registrar, January 31, 2006, http://www.echr.coe.int/Eng/Press/2006/Jan/ChamberjudgmentGiniewskivFrance310106.htm; Dirk Voorhoof, “European Court of Human Rights—Case of Klein v. Slovakia,” IRIS 1, article 1 (2007): 2, http://merlin.obs.coe.int/iris/2007/1/article1.en.html.

  165. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Resolution 1510 (2006), “Freedom of Expression and Respect for Religious Beliefs,” http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta06/ERES1510.htm.

  166. Janssen, “Limits to Expression on Religion in France.”

  167. Venice Commission 2008, Report, 16–19.

  168. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Recommendation 1805 (2007): “Blasphemy, Religious Insults and Hate Speech Against Persons on Grounds of Their Religion,” adopted June 29, 2007, http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/AdoptedText/ta07/EREC1805.htm.

  169. Venice Commission 2008, Report, 15.

  170. “Europe Is Threatened by Bigots—Not by Islam,” statement by Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Press Release—590 (2007), http://www.coe.int/t/dc/av/allreleases_en.asp.

  171. Venice Commission 2008, Report, 15. The commission reported that Europe’s new hate-speech laws could “raise expectations concerning prosecution and conviction that will not be met.”

  172. Mark Rice-Oxley, “Free Speech in Europe: Mixed Rules,” Christian Science Monitor, February 8, 2006, http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0208/p01s01-woeu.html.

  173. “Free Speech v. Religion.”

  Chapter 13

  1. Raf Casert, “Belgian Politician Critical of Radical Muslims Moves to Secret Location after Death Threats,” Associated Press (AP), November 17, 2004, http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14498646_ITM; Sebastian Rotella, “Belgian Killing, Threats Raise Specter of Fundamentalist Violence,” Los Angeles Times, November 19, 2004, http://articles.latimes.com/2004/nov/19/world/fg-belgium19; Raf Casert, “Arrest Made in Case of Death Threats Against Belgian Politician,” AP, November 19, 2004, http://articles.latimes.com/2004/nov/19/world/fg-belgium19.

  2. Elaine Sciolino, “Teacher in Hiding After Attack on Islam Stirs Threats,” New York Times, September 30, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/30/world
/europe/30france.html; Jenny Percival and agencies, “Teacher Forced into Hiding after Attacking Islam,” The Times, September 29, 2006, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article655333.ece.

  3. Charles Bremner, “Philosophers Demand Help for Teacher on Run from Islam threats,” The Times, October 3, 2006; http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article658422.ece; “Report: Moroccan Police Arrest Man for Allegedly Threatening tTeacher in France,” International Herald Tribune, January 9, 2007; http://www.unitedcopts.org/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=631.

  4. Sherna Noah, “BBC ‘Too Scared to Allow Jokes about Islam,’ ” Independent, April 2, 2008, http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/bbc-too-scared-to-allow-jokes-about-islam-803807.html; Dan Sabbagh, “BBC Chief Mark Thompson Warns of ‘Over-cautious’ Islam Coverage,” The Times, April 10, 2008, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3724384.ece. The Ben Elton interview is at http://www.thirdway.org.uk/290.