Press-Release by FOREF Europe and SMPF

Apostasy and Blasphemy Laws Violate Human Rights and Human Nature

Press Release

Blasphemy_laws_worldwide

Vienna/Geneva, 20.06.2016 (FOREF/SMPF) – Two international human rights organizations today began a campaign to end laws that make it a criminal offense to change one’s religion and “insult” religions. 

The Forum for Religious Freedom –Europe and Set My People Free are meeting delegations to the United Nations and with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva to discuss how to end apostasy and blasphemy laws.

“Nineteen (19) UN member states criminalize apostasy, and in 12 of those states, apostasy is punishable by the death penalty, while almost 25 percent of countries worldwide have blasphemy laws. Both kinds of laws violate basic human rights standards protecting freedom of religion and freedom of expression,” the two organizations said.

An open letter to UN delegations and a list of recent victims of apostasy and blasphemy laws are attached.

For more information:
Aaron Rhodes, +49-170- 323-8314
Kamal Fahmi, +46-703 -419- 766

Attached documents:

 

View Comments (2)

Leave a Reply

© 2020 FOREF Europe. All Rights Reserved.

Scroll To Top