The report, released on Wednesday, found that 71 of the world's 195 countries have blasphemy laws, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment and death.
Source/Credit: Christian Times
By Jardine Malado| August 19, 2017
[Excerpts]
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has listed Italy among the top 10 worst-scoring nations with blasphemy laws.
Italy has been ranked at number seven in USCIRF's report on blasphemy laws around the world because of its legislation protecting the Roman Catholic Church.
Article 403 of Italy's criminal code states that offending adherents of Catholicism carry a punishment of up to two years imprisonment, while those who insult a minister of the Catholic Church can be subjected to a prison sentence of one to three years.
The report, released on Wednesday, found that 71 of the world's 195 countries have blasphemy laws, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment and death.
Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Qatar were listed in the report as the top five worst-scoring countries due to blasphemy laws aimed at protecting the state religion of Islam.
"Advocates for blasphemy laws may argue that they are needed in order to protect religious freedom, but these laws do no such thing. Blasphemy laws are wrong in principle, and they often invite abuse and lead to assaults, murders, and mob attacks. Wherever they exist, they should be repealed," said USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark.
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According to USCIRF, 86 percent of nations with blasphemy laws threatens offenders with imprisonment. The commission noted in its report that most of the blasphemy laws that it studied were "vaguely worded," and failed to specify intent as part of the violation.
"Though implementation varies, countries from Switzerland to Sudan persist in outlawing expression of views deemed 'blasphemous,'" Mark said.
"Some countries, including Canada, have such laws but do not actively enforce them. We call upon those countries to set an example for the others and repeal their blasphemy laws. And we call upon all countries to repeal any such laws and to free those detained or convicted for blasphemy," he added.
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