BLASPHEMY LAWS ACROSS THE GLOBE

➘ Currently, more than 70 countries in the world have defined criminal punishments for the offence of blasphemy. Only two countries—Iran and Pakistan—have the provision of capital punishment if commitment of blasphemy is proved. The offence of blasphemy may relate to a particular religion, like in Qatar, or may be towards all religions, like in Denmark

➘ In 1952 the US Supreme Court held that blasphemy is ‘unconstitutional’. In 1995 it was abolished in Australia and in England in 2008. The UN condemns nations where blasphemy laws are in place. It accepts the argument that blasphemy laws are used as an instrument to curtail freedom of expression