RIA Novosti reports: A court in central Russia has ruled that a painting of the Sermon on the Mount that features Mickey Mouse instead of Jesus Christ [reproduced above -EV] is extremist, … [which means] the painting will be banned from exhibitions, newspapers, magazines or television…. “During the court hearing, it was established that [artist […]
Archive | Blasphemy
Insult-to-Religion Arrest in Egypt
Agence France Press reports (thanks to Prof. Howard Friedman at Religion Clause for the pointer): Cairo police arrested a man who allegedly … posted [statements on Facebook] ‘that were insulting to the Koran and the Prophet Mohammed and Islam and Muslims.’ … The youth was referred to the prosecution, which may charge him under a […]
Insult-to-Religion Prosecution Rejected in Poland
I blogged about the case when it was filed, but I’m pleased to report that a judge has thrown it out. From The Guardian (London): [Judge Krzysztof Wieckowski] has found [death metal singer Adam Darski, of the band Behemoth,] not guilty of offending religious feeling … [by] ripping up a Bible during a show [in […]
“M.F. Husain Went Into Self-Imposed Exile After Threats by Hindus Offended by His Work”
The Christian Science Monitor has an obituary of M.F. Husain, said to have been one of India’s leading painters. The story goes into some detail about Husain’s having gotten physical threats and been sued based on his work: The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, a group whose goals include stopping the “denigration of Hindu righteousness,” protested his […]
New Biography of Gandhi Banned in Indian State
I had missed this when it happened in late March; a column in Sunday’s The Hindu has more details: Great Soul, the Mahatma’s new biography by Joseph Lelyveld, happens to be the latest entrant in the Indian hall of ‘shame’ following a whole series of other books, the recent ones including Jaishree Mishra’s Rani, and […]
Five-Year Sentence for Blasphemy (Contained in a Statement to a Neighbor)?
So reports International Christian Concern, with regard to a case in Algeria: Siagh Krimo was charged by the Criminal Court of the Djamel District in Oran, who based their decision on Article 144 bis 2 of the Penal Code which criminalizes acts that “insult the prophet and any of the messengers of God, or denigrate […]
ACLU Fighting Attempts to Suppress Anti-Islam Speech
By Eugene Volokh on April 22, 2011 11:29 pm in "Hate Speech", Blasphemy, Freedom of Speech, Religion and the Law
By the way, I should stress — especially given the criticism that I’ve seen of the ACLU from some commenters — that ACLU chapters deserve praise for defending the anti-Islam speech in the two incidents I blogged about today: The blocking of Terry Jones’ planned demonstration outside a Dearborn, Michigan mosque, and the firing of […]
Koran-Burning New Jersey Transit Employee Gets Job Back + Back Pay + $25,000 Settlement
So reports the New York Daily News; for more on the story from when the transit worker was fired for burning pages from the Koran to protest a planned Islamic center near Ground Zero, see this post. The New York Daily News article reports that “The ACLU filed suit on Fenton’s behalf, and the deal […]
[UPDATED TITLE:] Terry Jones Jailed, Apparently for Refusing to Promise Not to Demonstrate in Front of a Mosque [STILL FURTHER UPDATE: Released From Jail, Ordered to Stay Away from Mosque]
By Eugene Volokh on April 22, 2011 7:19 pm in "Hate Speech", Blasphemy, Freedom of Speech, Religion and the Law
[Original title: Dearborn Jury Holds Terry Jones May Be Barred from Organizing Rally Outside Mosque.] So reports the Detroit Free Press: A Dearborn jury just sided with prosecutors, ruling that Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp would breach the peace if they rallied at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn. Judge Mark Somers will now […]
Jury Trial Tomorrow About Whether Koran-Burning Pastor Has to Post a Bond for Security Costs Related to His Planned Rally
The Detroit Free-Press reports: Florida Pastor Terry Jones is expected to appear in court this morning for a jury trial that will determine whether he can hold a rally at the largest mosque in the city…. Jones appeared in court Thursday and refused to post a bond for the massive security effort Dearborn says it […]
Journalists Apparently Being Investigated for “Denigration of Greek National Symbols”
Another charge appears to be defamation — as best I can tell, of the country of Greece generally. From Spiegel Online: It was supposed to be a provocative piece of journalism and a tongue-in-cheek comment on German concerns about a European Union bailout for debt-ridden Greece. But the Feb. 22, 2010 cover of the weekly […]
Prosecutor Seeks Prior Restraint of Koran-Burning Pastor
Reuters reports: A Detroit prosecutor has filed a petition in district court to stop a Florida fundamentalist Christian preacher, who recently caused riots in Afghanistan after he burned a Koran, from holding a rally outside a large Michigan mosque. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said the threat of violence was too great to allow Terry […]
Law Professor Calls for Ban on Koran Burning
See this article by Prof. Liaquat Ali Khan (Washburn University School of Law), who also supports broader bans on “defamation of religions”; thanks to Peter Wizenberg for the pointer.
British Koran-Burning Prosecution Dropped, But Apparently Only Temporarily
The Daily Mail (U.K.) reports: A British National Party election candidate [Sion Owens] accused of publicly burning a copy of the Koran was freed today when the charge against him was unexpectedly dropped…. It is understood that his release was due to a technicality regarding the Act under which he was arrested and charged. An […]
Criminal in Malaysia for Non-Muslims to Quote the Koran “for Ulterior Motives or to Question Islamic Practices”
So says a Malaysian Minister (that’s cabinet minister, not a church minister). The Star (Malaysia) reports: Action can be taken under the Penal Code against those who cite Quranic verses with the ulterior motive of causing hatred or ill-will, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said. He added that while […]