For a long time the Islamic countries of the world have been pushing for "blasphemy" to be recognised as a crime world-wide which has been a complete failure. Blasphemy can lead to imprisonment, flogging and even the death penalty in most of these Islamic states.
Besides the obvious threat to freedom of speech & expression these laws are used to suppress non--Muslims. The most obvious places are Saudi Arabia, Iran and of course Pakistan.
The recent outrage over the Asia Bibi case where a Christian woman spent years in death row in jail after false accusations from her co-workers in a field was finally found innocent but still the savage mobs called for her death. should serve as a warning.
The Express Tribune reports:
Pakistan informed the United Nations (UN) on Thursday of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s initiative for an international campaign against defamation of religions.
Speaking at the Eighth Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilization, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi, said the premier had made a major announcement to counter Islamophobia and incitement to hatred being witnessed in some parts of the world.
“Hate narratives are spreading in several parts of the world; Islamophobia is on the rise and diversity is being seen not as a source of enrichment but as a threat, and politics of fear seem to be replacing politics of hope,” she asserted.
A bit rich coming from a country that can't even control the hate on the streets led by the extremist Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) who have according to reports been going house to house looking for Asia thereby intimidating Pakistan's Christian minority.
The Pakistani government has even given in to the TLP's demand that Asia and her family cannot leave the country thereby leaving her at risk despite the arrest of the Khadim Hussain Rizv leader of the TLP and a couple of hundred of his party workers in what they say is an "unrelated matter" yeah right.
One question that should be asked of Pakistan is should the Sultan of Brunei be prosecuted under such a law for banning "public displays" of Christ,as celebration? Of course not this initiative is designed to just put pressure on opposition to Islam in the West whilst with few exceptions the Islamic countries continue to persecute and suppress their own religious minorities.
Her statement that:
She kidding? Pictures of mobs calling for Asia Bibi's death or the death of cartoonists make the case against Islam for themselves. Islam is an intolerant and aggressive theology that does not allow for dissent. It is as far from being a "religion of peace" as possible.
Sharia Law (made up by men) is barbaric and unjust. It considers women as "half a man and makes them subservient to men, demands death to gays and apostates and special taxes for the unclean non-believers like Christians and Jews.
Like your country does let alone the rest of the Islamic world. It is Islam in it's fundamentalist forms from Saudi Arabia with it's hateful Wahhabian philosophy, the Clerics of Iran and Pakistan are the actual threats to religious freedom and respect.
There are over one million Christians in Saudi Arabia but none allowed to build a church. The Saudi government even tries to ignore their existence. Churches are attacked and blown up in Pakistan and even Egypt whener Coiptic Christians are second class citizens whose daughters are often kidnapped by Muslims and forcibly married and converted to Islam.
I could continue to list the crimes of hate that occur daily in the Muslim world. They are ignored by the left and liberal establishment, even by sections of the women's movement which is why they have religious bigots like Linda Sansour lin leading positions.
Islam is a complete anathema to freedom.
You are right to highlight the excesses of Islam. You are wrong to suggest that the Left and Liberals ignore that.
ReplyDeleteReally? As you are aware I scan through the left press every week and found no articles suggesting they highlight problems of human rights in Islamic countries. Plenty of anti-Zionist stuff though.
DeleteTrouble is that except for a couple of left blogs (Tendence Coatsey) and Shriaz Socialist these things are ignored.
Where is the protest outside the Pakistani Embassy. Stop the War manage to organise events a t the drop of a hat if it involves Israel and they wonder why I think the far Left and the new Labour left is racist.
When I see SWP placards on a mass march to save Asia Bibi then I might,just might start believing you.