Blasphemy and Freedom of Speech

Mob

________: a large crowd of people, especially one that is disorderly and intent on causing trouble or violence.

particular country

Law: the system of rules which a(n) ________ or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members.

Freedom of expression

________ is a fundamental right for individuals.

Religion

________: the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.

Blasphemy

________: the action or offence of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk.

necessary criticism

They protect religious beliefs and practices, institutions and leaders, from legitimate and often ________-

Freedom of Speech

________: ________ is the right to speak, write, and share ideas and opinions without facing punishment from the government.

Islamic holy book

The ________, the Quran, admonishes blasphemy, but does not specify the punishment Blasphemy is a crime punishable by death in many Islamic countries.

Legitimisation of Vigilantism Countries

The ________ which prosecute "blasphemy "and "insult to religion "tend to suffer disproportionately many incidents of:

Blasphemy laws

________ are commonly used around the world to persecute people for beliefs and activities that do not conform to the majority opinion on religious and sensitive topics, and to suppress criticism of religion.

Blasphemy

________ and insult to religion laws are wrong in several ways:- They violate the human right to freedom of expression.

religious beliefs and practices or beliefs and practices that someone associates with religion, (for example, child "marriage", slavery and other corporal punishments that constitute torture, denial of citizenship, bans on "inter-religious" marriage, persecution of religion or belief minorities, and many other such practices, have all sometimes been defended

or their perpetrators have claimed immunity from investigation - on the basis that they are ‘religious practices or that they are based on ‘religious beliefs)

inter-communal and mob violence (for example

 the burning of Christian properties and murder of Christians by mobs of Muslim men in Pakistan, such as this incident in 2009 that left 6 dead, which usually follow unsourced rumours that someone has "desecrated" the Koran)

vigilantism against individuals (for example

 the murder of Ahmed Rajib Haider and a potentially fatal machete attack on Asif Mohiuddin, both of which coincided with calls by Islamist groups to have "atheist bloggers" prosecuted for writing which supposedly insulted religion and criticised religious leaders)

Blasphemy

the action or offence of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk

Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is the right to speak, write, and share ideas and opinions without facing punishment from the government

Law

the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members

Religion

the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods

Mob

a large crowd of people, especially one that is disorderly and intent on causing trouble or violence