The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has issued a report on blasphemy laws around the world, with the top five worst-scoring nations all seeking to protect Islam. “In all five of the worst-scoring countries (Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Qatar), the blasphemy laws aim to protect the state religion of Islam in a way that impermissibly discriminates among different groups,” a press release from the organization stated on Wednesday. The major
report found that 71 of the world’s 195 countries have blasphemy laws, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment and death. USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark said that religious freedom should protect people’s rights to express their thoughts and beliefs, even those that others may find blasphemous. “Advocates for blasphemy laws may argue that they are needed in order to protect religious freedom, but these laws do no such thing. READ MORE
