Defamat|on of ke||g|ons: Internat|ona| Deve|opments and

Cha||enges on the Ground

!ulla Alfandarl, !o 8aker and 8egula ALLeya
School of CrlenLal and Afrlcan SLudles
ooJ
Calro lnsLlLuLe for Puman 8lghLs SLudles

- 1 -
Defamat|on of ke||g|ons: Internat|ona| Deve|opments and
Cha||enges on the Ground
!ulla Alfandarl, !o 8aker and 8egula ALLeya
1
lotetootloool nomoo klqbts cllolc 2010/11, 1be 5cbool of Otleotol ooJ Aftlcoo 5toJles, uolvetslty of
looJoo, pottoet ptoject wltb tbe colto lostltote fot nomoo klqbts 5toJles (clnk5)
Iooooty 2011
1ab|e of Contents
1 Julia AlIandari (julia.alIandarigmail.com) is a post graduate student oI International Law, 2010-2011 and has
previously worked as a project manager Ior the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) in
Jerusalem; Jo Baker (jobaker2000hotmail.com) is a post graduate student oI International Human Rights Law and
Iormerly ran the Urgent Appeals Programme at the Asian Human Rights Commission/Asian Legal Resource Centre
in Hong Kong; Regula Atteya is a post graduate student oI International Human Rights Law and an LLB.
- 2 -
SLC1ICN CNL: Introduct|on page 4
SLC1ICN 1WC: Defamat|on of re||g|ons at the Un|ted Nat|ons (UN)
2.1.1he CrganlsaLlon of lslamlc Conference (ClC) on defamaLlon of rellglons page 6
2.1.1. 1he ClC's poslLlon, goals and proposals page 6
2.1.2. urafL resoluLlons by Lhe ClC aL Lhe un page 8
2.1.3. 1he ClC's conLrlbuLlon Lo Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee on Lhe
LlaboraLlon of ComplemenLary SLandards page 11
2.2.1he counLer poslLlons of human rlghLs organlsaLlons and un member sLaLes
on defamaLlon of rellglons, as proposed ln ClC resoluLlons page 12
2.2.1. 1he falllngs of Lhe resoluLlons ln Lhe llghL
2.2.2. of lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs law page 13
2.2.2.l. ueflnlng defamaLlon of rellglon ln lnLernaLlonal law page 13
2.2.2.ll. lnLernaLlonal legal frameworks and defamaLlon of rellglons page 13
2.2.3. uevelopmenLs ln dlscourse: Language and voLlng paLLerns page 17
2.3. uefamaLlon of rellglons aL Lhe un: 1he currenL consensus
page 19
2.3.1. un Speclal rocedures on defamaLlon of rellglons page 20
2.3.1.i. Cn Lhe relaLlonshlp beLween defamaLlon of rellglons and
Lhe freedom of expresslon page 21
2.3.1.ii. Cn rellglous dlscourse page 22
2.3.1.iii.Cn rellglous lnLolerance
page 24
2.3.2. 1he Plgh Commlssloner on Puman 8lghLs and Lhe SecreLary Ceneral page 23
2.3.3. 1he uurban 8evlew Conference and Lhe Ad Poc Croup page 27
2.3.4. Ceneral CommenL 34 on ArLlcle 19 page 27
SLC1ICN 1nkLL: Case stud|es from three CIC States
3.1. 1he lslamlc 8epubllc of aklsLan
page 29
3.1.1. LeglslaLlon page 30
3.1.2. AmendmenLs Lo Lhe law page 32
3.1.3. lmplemenLaLlon page 34
- 3 -
3.1.3.i. CurrenL developmenLs page 36
3.1.4. Cases
page 37
A. Aasla 8lbl page 37
B. 8ashld and Sa[ld Lmmanuel page 41
C. Zalbun nlsa page 46
D.Layahh Ahmadl
page 47
E. naushad valyanl
page 32
3.1.5. Concluslon
page 33
3.2. Algerla
page 33
3.2.1. LeglslaLlon page 33
3.2.2. Cases
page 37
A. Poclnl and lellak page 37
B. u[amlla Salhl and her cousln page 38
C. 8ouderbala and 8ousad page 39
D. 8achld Seghlr page 60
3.2.3. Concluslon
page 60
3.3. 1he Syrlan Arab 8epubllc page 62
3.3.1. LeglslaLlon page 63
3.3.2. lmplemenLaLlon
page 63
3.3.2.i. Lmergency Law page 63
3.3.2.ii. Law no. 49 page 66
3.3.2.iii.ArblLrary arresLs and unfalr Lrlals page 67
3.3.3. Cases
page 68
- 4 -
A. Amer Pamaml page 68
B. Muhammad Csama Sayes page 69
C. Cmar al-Payyan 8azzouk page 69
D. Mu'awlya al-Pasan page 70
E. usra al-Passanl page 70
F. nader nselr page 71
3.3.4. Concluslon page 72
SLC1ICN ICUk: Conc|us|on page 73
AnnLx page 73
Sect|on 1: Introduct|on
Cne grave consequence of Lhe 2001 LerrorlsL aLLacks on Lhe unlLed SLaLes of Amerlca (uSA) was Lhe
rlse ln Lhe negaLlve sLereoLyplng of Musllms LhroughouL much of Lhe wesL, wlLh anLl-Musllm senLlmenL
lncreaslngly ldenLlflable on varlous levels of soclal, clvll and pollLlcal expresslon. lslamlc sLaLes have
reglsLered Lhelr concerns Lhrough lnLernaLlonal mechanlsms, mosL promlnenLly on Lhe unlLed naLlons
(un) plaLform. 1he maln recourse of lslamlc sLaLes durlng Lhe pasL decade has been vla Lhe concepL of
'defamaLlon of rellglon' - a clalm of damage and dlsrepuLe belng done Lo lslam - whlch was formally
lnLroduced ln Lhe un as a drafL resoluLlon by Lhe CrganlsaLlon of lslamlc Conference (ClC) ln 1999. A
resoluLlon was passed, seLLlng Lhe concepL on a course Lowards lnLernaLlonal cusLomary law. lL has
been regularly dlscussed, debaLed and amended slnce.
SecLors of clvll socleLy, along wlLh varlous sLaLes, have expressed alarm aL Lhe formallsaLlon of Lhe
concepL of defamaLlon of rellglon, whlch Lhey have condemned as belng unclear, prohlblLlvely
resLrlcLlve and llable Lo lmplnge on oLher formally recognlsed rlghLs and freedoms. 1hese dlssenLlng
volces have argued LhaL provlslons Lo proLecL lndlvlduals from rellglous dlscrlmlnaLlon already exlsL ln
un LreaLles, and LhaL Lhe soluLlon Lo Lhe problem ls ln Lhelr lmplemenLaLlon, noL ln Lhe creaLlon of new
laws. 1hls debaLe has led Lo Lhe examlnaLlon of Lhe defamaLlon and blasphemy laws already ln use ln
varlous lslamlc sLaLes, boLh Lhe manner of Lhelr use and mlsuse.
1hls paper alms Lo provlde a general overvlew of Lhe currenL debaLe on rellglous defamaLlon laws
lnLernaLlonally, and Lo research and analyse Lhe use and lmpacL of Lhe 'defamaLlon of rellglon' concepL
and blasphemy laws on freedom of expresslon ln Lhree ClC member sLaLes. arL l of Lhe paper wlll
- 5 -
explore Lhe evoluLlon of Lhe concepL wlLhln Lhe un ln Lhree secLlons: SecLlon Cne looks aL Lhe
poslLlons held by Lhe ClC slnce Lhe lnLroducLlon of Lhe lnlLlal resoluLlon on defamaLlon of rellglon aL
Lhe un, SecLlon 1wo explores Lhe counLer poslLlons held by nCCs and sLaLes ln dlsagreemenL, and
SecLlon 1hree examlnes Lhe LreaLmenL of Lhls concepL ln oLher un reporLs, namely from lLs
commlLLees and lndependenL experLs, as a measure of Lhe currenL lnLernaLlonal consensus. arL ll of
Lhls pro[ecL ls a sLudy of Lhree selecLed ClC member sLaLes: Algerla, Syrla and aklsLan. ln Lhls secLlon
we presenL Lhe naLlonal laws on rellglous defamaLlon and blasphemy ln each counLry, lncludlng
amendmenLs and conLemporary moves Lowards reform. We Lhen follow wlLh a serles of recenL cases
LhaL have employed Lhese laws ln each of Lhe Lhree counLrles, and analyse Lhe use of each ln relaLlon
Lo Lhe lmpacL lL had on freedom of expresslon, and oLher rlghLs and freedoms enshrlned ln human
rlghLs law. 8y dolng so we alm Lo ldenLlfy wheLher Lhe Je focto prohlblLlon of defamaLlon relaLlng Lo
rellglon falls wlLhln Lhe splrlL of, or conversely ls repugnanL Lo each sLaLe's obllgaLlons under
lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs law.
- 6 -
Sect|on 2: Defamat|on of re||g|ons at the UN
2.1 1he CIC on defamat|on of re||g|ons
1he ClC ls Lhe leadlng acLor ln Lhe lnLernaLlonal dlscourse around Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of
rellglons, lnslsLlng LhaL defamaLlon of rellglons musL be acLlvely combaLed by Lhe lnLernaLlonal
communlLy. 1he ClC's acLlvlsm sLems from lLs concerns abouL Lhe rlse of lslamophobla ln wesLern
counLrles,
2
and lL consequenLly alms Lo proLecL Musllm communlLles ouLslde Musllm sLaLes. 1he ClC
uses several fora Lo acLlvely promoLe Lhe debaLe around Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons aL Lhe
un, lncludlng submlsslons of drafL resoluLlons aL Lhe Puman 8lghLs Councll (P8C) and Ceneral
Assembly (CA), and wlLhln Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee on Lhe LlaboraLlon of ComplemenLary SLandards
(Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee). 1he ClC ulLlmaLely alms for Lhe esLabllshmenL of an lnLernaLlonal legally
blndlng lnsLrumenL Lo combaL whaL lL conslders Lo be Lhe defamaLlon of rellglons, as wlll be elaboraLed
ln Lhe paragraphs below.
2.1.1 1he CIC's pos|t|on, goa|s and proposa|s |n re|at|on to the defamat|on of re||g|ons
lslamophobla ls of greaL concern Lo Lhe ClC and holds a promlnenL place wlLhln Lhe
organlsaLlon. Accordlng Lo Lhe ClC, lslamophobla 'slgnlfles Lhe conLemporary prollferaLlon of
dlscrlmlnaLlon agalnsL Musllms and dlsLorLlon of lslam'.
3
1he organlsaLlon has argued LhaL
lslamophobla ls a 'manlfesLaLlon of raclal dlscrlmlnaLlon LhaL runs conLrary Lo Lhe fundamenLal values
of manklnd and prlnclples of human rlghLs, whlch provlde safeguards agalnsL dlscrlmlnaLlon and
lnLolerance'.
4
1hls raclsm manlfesLs lLself agalnsL Lhe exLernal, physlcal slgnlflers of Musllm persons
and Lhelr rellglon and culLural bellefs. Accordlng Lo Lhe ClC, lslamophobla ls prevalenL ln many wesLern
socleLles ln areas such as malnsLream pollLlcs, Lhe medla, Lhe educaLlonal sysLem, research reporLs,
arLlcles and publlcaLlons of repuLed lnsLlLuLlons and academlcs and ln leglslaLlon. Pence Lhe formaLlon
of a collecLlve mlsrepresenLaLlon abouL lslam and Musllms has resulLed, along wlLh Lhe dlssemlnaLlon
2 The OIC is not consistent with the terminology, reIeering to both non-Islamic countries` and Western
countries`,see Ior example A/61/981 S/2007/ 656 Annex III to letter dated 30.5.2007 Irom the Permanent
Representative oI Pakistan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General; GA DraIt Res. 31 October
2005, A/C.3/60/L.29.
3 Second Observatory Report on Islamophobia, p. 5 II., http://www.oic-oci.org/pagedetail.asp?pid182. See also
deIinition oI Islamophobia by HRC 2 September 2008 A/HRC/9/12, Special Rapporteur on contemporary Iorms oI
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances, Doudou Diene, on the maniIestations oI
deIamations oI religions and in particular on the serious implications oI Islamophobia on the enjoyment oI all rights,
page 8 paragraph 19: This term reIers to a baseless hostility and Iear vis-a-vis Islam, and as a result a Iear oI and
aversion towards all Muslims or the majority oI them. It also reIers to the practical consequences oI this hostility in
terms oI discrimination, prejudices and unequal treatment oI which Muslims (individuals and communities) are
victims and their exclusion Irom major political and social spheres. The term was invented in response to a new
reality: the increasing discrimination against Muslims which has maniIested itselI in recent years.`
4 First OIC Observatory Report on Islamophobia, http://www.scribd.com/doc/4994369/First-OIC-Islamophobia-
Report; Second Observatory Report on Islamophobia, http://www.oic-oci.org/pagedetail.asp?pid182.
- 7 -
of an open hosLlllLy and enLrenchmenL of haLred agalnsL Lhem, whlch LargeLs Musllms' ldenLlLy,
honour, self-worLh, and self-confldence. 1herefore, accordlng Lo Lhe ClC and lLs supporLers, Lhe
defamaLlon of lslam profoundly [eopardlses every Musllm's essenLlal human rlghLs. Accordlng Lo Lhls
undersLandlng, Lhe ClC concludes LhaL Musllms are ln need of speclal proLecLlon and LhaL
lslamophobla has Lhe poLenLlal Lo endanger global peace and securlLy, and Lherefore requlres Lhe
lnLervenLlon of Lhe lnLernaLlonal communlLy.
1he lmporLance LhaL Lhe ClC aLLaches Lo lslamophobla ls demonsLraLed ln lLs pollLlcal agenda.
CombaLlng lslamophobla ls parL of Lhe ClC 1en-?ear rogramme of AcLlon Lo MeeL Lhe Challenges
laclng Lhe Musllm ummah ln Lhe 21
sL
CenLury (Lhe 1en-?ear lan) LhaL was puL LogeLher aL Lhe 1hlrd
LxLraordlnary Sesslon of Lhe lslamlc SummlL Conference (held on 7 and 8 uecember 2003 ln Makah,
Saudl Arabla).
3
1he exLraordlnary sesslon was organlsed ln response Lo Lhe Mohammed CarLoon
conLroversy.
6
1he 1en-?ear lan Lasked Lhe ClC Lo esLabllsh Lhe CbservaLory on lslamophobla (Lhe
CbservaLory) Lo counLer lslamophobla by monlLorlng all lLs forms, and Lo lnlLlaLe a sLrucLured dlalogue
ln order Lo pro[ecL Lhe Lrue values of lslam as a rellglon of moderaLlon, peace and Lolerance.
7
1o
achleve Lhls, Lhe CbservaLory produces a monLhly bulleLln LhaL reporLs lncldences of lslamophobla ln
Lhe wesL, as well as an annual reporL LhaL covers all Lhe relevanL developmenLs, Lhe efforLs and
achlevemenLs of Lhe ClC durlng Lhe perlod under revlew. WlLh Lhese means, Lhe CbservaLory alms Lo
ralse awareness of Lhe LhreaL posed by lslamophobla Lo peace, securlLy and peaceful coexlsLence
amongsL lndlvlduals and naLlons. 1o daLe, Lhe CbservaLory has publlshed Lhree reporLs.
8
ConsequenLlal Lo Lhe ClC's undersLandlng of lslamophobla, and more generally of defamaLlon of
rellglons, Lhe ClC's goal ls Lhe esLabllshmenL of a legally blndlng lnsLlLuLlonal lnsLrumenL Lo combaL
defamaLlon of rellglons. laced wlLh Lhe crlLlclsm LhaL Lhe crlmlnallsaLlon of Lhls concepL could lead Lo
an undue resLrlcLlon of Lhe freedom of expresslon, Lhe ClC argues LhaL lL ls nelLher agalnsL Lhe crlLlclsm
of rellglon nor ls lL calllng for a bannlng of crlLlclsm of rellglons.
9
Whlle on Lhe one hand Lhe ClC argues
5 OIC Ten-Year Programme oI Action to Meet the Challenges Facing the Muslim Ummah in the 21st Century,
paragraph VII Combating Islamophobia, http://www.oic-oci.org/ex-summit/english/10-years-plan.htm.
6 The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Post published on 30 September 2005 12 cartoons most oI which depicted the
Prophet Mohammed. The most inIamous cartoon depicted the Prophet with a bomb on his head. The publication led
to great international controversy and massive demonstrations across the Muslim world, which also resulted in
violence. See also Human Rights Watch, Questions and Answers on the Danish Cartoons, when speech oIIends`,
24 February 2006, http://www.hrw.org/legacy/english/docs/2006/02/15/denmar12676txt.htm.
7 OIC Ten-Year Programme oI Action to Meet the Challenges Facing the Muslim Ummah in the 21st Century,
paragraph VII (2) Combating Islamophobia, http://www.oic-oci.org/ex-summit/english/10-years-plan.htm.
8 First OIC Observatory Report on Islamophobia http://www.scribd.com/doc/4994369/First-OIC-Islamophobia-
Report; Second and Third Observatory Report on Islamophobia, http://www.oic-oci.org/pagedetail.asp?pid182.
9 Danish Daily Jyllands Posten, 28.10.2008. Interview with the Secretary General oI the OIC, http://www.oic-
oci.org/pagedetail.asp?pid168.
- 8 -
LhaL Lhe normaLlve framework Lo combaL defamaLlon of rellglons, boLh ln Lhe lnLernaLlonal conLexLs,
does exlsL, lL holds however LhaL full use and lmplemenLaLlon are needed.
10
Cn Lhe oLher hand, wlLhln
lLs own publlcaLlon and publlc sLaLemenLs Lhe ClC has repeaLedly called for a legally blndlng
lnsLrumenL, parLlcularly ln lLs flrsL observaLory reporL and more recenLly aL Lhe Conference of Lhe
lorelgn Affalrs MlnlsLers ln SepLember 2010.
11
Cn such occaslons lL has glven mlnlmal elaboraLlon on
Lhe modallLles of such an lnsLrumenL and lLs lmplemenLaLlon.
12
Powever lLs proposals for a legally
blndlng lnsLrumenL aL Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee on Lhe elaboraLlon of complemenLary sLandards are
more concreLe and ls dlscussed ln more deLall ln secLlon 2.1.3.
2.1.2 Draft reso|ut|ons by the CIC at the UN on the defamat|on of re||g|ons
1he lssue of 'defamaLlon of rellglons' was flrsL broughL Lo Lhe aLLenLlon of un member sLaLes
when Lhe ClC submlLLed lLs flrsL drafL resoluLlon ln 1999 Lo Lhe un Commlsslon of Puman 8lghLs
(unCP8). lL Lhen submlLLed drafL resoluLlons every year Lo Lhe unCP8 (from 2006), and Lo lLs
predecessor, Lhe Puman 8lghLs Councll (P8C), and slnce 2003 every year Lo Lhe CA.
13
1he resoluLlons
have been conslsLenLly adopLed.
14

10 This is the position that the OIC holds with his submissions oI draIt resolutions as will be Iurther elaborated below
in section 2.1.2.
11 Declaration by the Annual Coordination Meeting oI Ministers oI Foreign AIIairs oI OIC member states on
Countering Islamophobia, 24 September 2010, http://www.oic-oci.org/pagedetail.asp?pid182.
12 First Observatory Report, http://www.scribd.com/doc/4994369/First-OIC-Islamophobia-Report, p. 31,`a) There is a
need Ior a legal instrument on the "Elimination oI Religious Discrimination and Intolerance with a Committee to
implement it and monitor it. This should take into consideration the Declaration on the Elimination oI All Forms oI
Intolerance and oI Discrimination Based on Religion or BelieI Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 36/55 oI
25 November 1981 and UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions on deIamation oI religions. b)
Victims oI Islamophobia must be encouraged and given necessary help to Iile complaints under the 1503 Human
Rights Council Complaint Procedure.` The call Ior a legally binding instrument at the Foreign AIIairs ConIerence
was not Iurther elaborated. At the same conIerence the OIC also called upon the UN High Commissioner Ior Human
Rights to set up an observatory at her oIIice aimed at monitoring and documenting acts that lead to incitement to
religious hatred, hostility and violence.
13 CHR DraIt Res. 20 April 1999, E/CN.4/1999/L.40; CHR Rev. DraIt Res. 5 April 2000, E/CN.4/2000/L.65; CHR
DraIt 11 April 2001, E/CN.4/2001/L.7/; CHR DraIt Res. 12 April 2001, E/CN.4/2001/L.7/Rev. 1; CHR DraIt Res. 3
April 2002, E/CN.4/2002/L.9; CHR DraIt Res. 8 April 2003, E/CN.4/2003/L.16; CHR DraIt Res. 24 March 2004,
E/CN.4/2004/L.5; CHR DraIt Res. 7 April 2005, E/CN.4/2005/L.12; GA DraIt Res. 31 October 2005,
A/C.3/60/L.29; GA DraIt Res. 2 November 2006, A/C.3/61/L.28; GA DraIt Res. 2 November 2007, A/C.3/62/L.35;
GA DraIt Res. 30 October 2008, A/C.3/63/L.22; GA Rev. DraIt Res. 12 November 2008, A/C.3/63/L.22/ Rev. 1;
HRC DraIt. Res. 20 March 2008, A/HRC/7/L.15; HRC DraIt. Res. 11 March 2009, A/HRC/10/L.2; HRC Rev.
DraIt. Res. 26 March 2009, A/HRC/10/L.2/ Rev.1; GA DraIt Res. 29 October 2009, A/C.3/L.27; HRC DraIt Res. 11
March 2010, A/HRC/13/L.1; GA DraIt Res. 28 October 2010, A/C.3/65/L.46; GA DraIt Res. 19 November 2010,
A/C.3/65/L.46. Rev.1.
14 CHR Res. 1999/82, 22 March 30 April 1999, E/CN.4/1999/167; CHR Res. 200/84, 26 April 2000,
E/CN.4/RES/2000/84; CHR Res. 2001/4, 18 April 2001, E/CN.4/RES/2001/4; CHR Res. 2002/9, 15 April 2002,
E/CN.4/RES/2002/9; CHR Res. 2003/4, 14 April 2003, E/CN.4/RES/2003/4; CHR Res. 2004/6, 13 April 2004,
E/CN.4/RES/2004/6; CHR Res. 2005/3, 12 April 2005, E/CN.4/RES/2005/3; GA Res. 60/150, 20 January 2006,
A/RES/60/150; HRC Dec. 1/107, 30 June 2006, A/HRC/DEC/1/107; GA Res. 61/164, 21 February 2007,
A/RES/61/164; HRC Res. 4/9, 30 March 2007, A/HRC/RES/4/9; GA Res. 62/154, 6 March 2008, A/RES/62/154;
HRC Res. 7/9, 27 March 2008, A/HRC/RES/7/19; GA Res. 63/ 171, 24 March 2009, A/RES/63/171; HRC Res.
10/22, 26 March 2009, A/HRC/RES/10/22; GA Res. 64/156, 8 March 2010, A/RES/64/156.
- 9 -
1he flrsL drafL resoluLlon was submlLLed ln 1999 under Lhe LlLle of 'defamaLlon of lslam'.
13
WlLh Lhe
second drafL resoluLlon ln 2000, Lhe ClC changed Lhe LlLle Lo 'defamaLlon of rellglons'.
16
Slnce 2002,
drafL resoluLlons have been enLlLled 'combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons'. Whlle Lhe mosL recenL drafL
resoluLlon ls sLlll enLlLled 'combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons', ln Lhe LexL of Lhe resoluLlon Lhe Lerm
defamaLlon of rellglons has been subsLlLuLed wlLh vlllflcaLlon of rellglons.
17
uesplLe Lhe change ln Lhe
Lermlnology used ln Lhe drafL resoluLlons, Lhe conLenL has changed llLLle. Whlle Lhe ClC has adapLed
Lhe LlLle Lo more general Lerms slnce Lhe flrsL submlsslon, Lhe conLenL has sLayed focused on Lhe
defamaLlon of lslam. lslam and Musllms were Lhe only rellglon and rellglous group speclflcally
menLloned ln Lhe submlsslons unLll Lhe mosL recenL drafL resoluLlon whlch lncorporaLed
ChrlsLlanophobla and !udophobla as well.
18
1he change from defamaLlon of rellglons Lo vlllflcaLlon of
rellglons ls undersLood Lo be an aLLempL by Lhe ClC Lo galn more poslLlve voLes for lLs drafL resoluLlon.
Powever Lhe efforLs have ylelded few resulLs, supporL for Lhe resoluLlons has conLlnued Lo decrease,
as we reporL ln deLall laLer ln Lhls reporL.
Whlle Lhe flrsL drafL resoluLlons from Lhe ClC Lo Lhe un sLaLed LhaL defamaLlon of rellglons leads Lo
human rlghLs vlolaLlons, Lhe drafLs lnlLlally dld noL refer Lo Lhe lnLernaLlonal CovenanL on Clvll and
ollLlcal 8lghLs (lCC8).
19
ln Lhe drafL resoluLlon Lo Lhe CA ln 2006 Lhe ClC flrsL began Lo argue LhaL
defamaLlon of rellglons ls ln vlolaLlon of Lhe rlghL enshrlned ln ArLlcle 19 of Lhe lCC8, buL dld noL
dlrecLly refer Lo lLs concepL. ArLlcle 19 of Lhe lCC8 proLecLs Lhe freedom Lo hold oplnlons and Lhe rlghL
Lo freedom of expresslon. aragraph 3 of Lhe ArLlcle resLrlcLs Lhe scope of proLecLlon as follows:
1he exerclse of Lhe rlghLs provlded ln paragraph 2 of Lhls arLlcle freedom of expresslon
carrles wlLh lL speclal duLles and responslblllLles. lL may Lherefore be sub[ecL Lo cerLaln
resLrlcLlons, buL Lhese shall only be such as are provlded by law and are necessary:
a) lor respecL of Lhe rlghLs or repuLaLlons of oLhers, b) lor Lhe proLecLlon of naLlonal
securlLy or of publlc order (ordre publlc), or of publlc healLh or morals.
15 CHR DraIt Res. 20 April 1999, E/CN.4/1999/L.40.
16 CHR Rev. DraIt Res. 5 April 2000, E/CN.4/2000/L.65.
17 GA DraIt Res. 19 November 2010, A/C.3/65/L.46. Rev.1. The OIC has used the term viliIication oI Islam` beIore,
in its First Observatory Report on Islamophobia.
18 International Service Ior Human Rights (ISHR), 25 November 2010,Support Ior deIamation oI religions`
continues to decline; draIt resolution passes by only 12 votes`, http://www.ishr.ch/general-assembly/964-support-
Ior-deIamation-oI-religion-continues-to-decline-draIt-resolution-passes-by-only-12-votes?
utmsourceISHRPublicationsandNews&utmcampaign5bea21d79e-
NEWYORKRSSEMAILCAMPAIGN&utmmediumemail. The usage oI the term Judophobia` by the OIC
has led to some controversy, since it diIIers Irom the usual terminology oI the UN that uses anti-Semitism.
19 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, G.A. res. 2200A (XXI), 21 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 16) at 52,
U.N. Doc. A/6316 (1966), 999 U.N.T.S. 171, entered into force Mar. 23, 1976.
- 10 -
Slnce 2006 Lhe drafL resoluLlons have emphaslsed LhaL Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon carrles wlLh
lL such speclal duLles and responslblllLles and may Lherefore be sub[ecL Lo such llmlLaLlons as are
provlded for by law and are necessary for Lhe respecL of Lhe rlghLs or repuLaLlons of oLhers, Lhe
proLecLlon of naLlonal securlLy or of publlc, healLh or morals. Accordlng Lo Lhe ClC, lL musL be
undersLood LhaL defamaLlon of rellglons consLlLuLes a llmlLaLlon as provlded by Lhe law accordlng Lo
ArLlcle 19 (3) (a) and (b) of Lhe lCC8, based on Lwo percepLlons. llrsLly Lo Lhe ClC's undersLandlng, as
elaboraLed above, defamaLlon of rellglons vlolaLes Lhe human rlghLs of Lhe lndlvldual and Lherefore
consLlLuLes a resLrlcLlon under ArLlcle 19 paragraph 3 (a). Secondly, defamaLlon of rellglon endangers
global peace and securlLy, whlch Lherefore also consLlLuLes a resLrlcLlon under ArLlcle 19 paragraph 3
(b).
1he ClC has also uLlllsed ArLlcle 20 of Lhe lCC8 Lo supporL Lhe recognlLlon of defamaLlon of rellglons.
WlLh lLs drafL resoluLlon Lo Lhe P8C ln 2008 Lhe ClC connecLed defamaLlon of rellglons Lo 'lnclLemenL
Lo raclal and rellglous haLred, hosLlllLy or vlolence', referrlng Lo Lhe prohlblLlons of ArLlcle 20 of Lhe
lCC8 wlLhouL dlrecLly namlng lL.
20

1he drafL resoluLlon Lo Lhe CA ln 2009 refers dlrecLly Lo ArLlcles 19 and 20 of Lhe lCC8 for Lhe flrsL
Llme, as well as Lo 19 and 29 of Lhe unlversal ueclaraLlon of Puman 8lghLs (uuP8).
21
1he change ln Lhe
Lermlnology used by Lhe ClC ln Lhe laLesL drafL resoluLlon Lo 'vlllflcaLlon of rellglons' dld noL alLer Lhe
ClC's argumenL ln relaLlon Lo Lhese ArLlcles, buL slmply conferred Lhe same argumenLs Lo Lhe new
language.
lL ls lmporLanL Lo noLe LhaL Lhe ClC's drafL resoluLlons do noL call for a legally blndlng lnLernaLlonal
lnsLrumenL Lo prohlblL Lhe defamaLlon or Lhe vlllflcaLlon of rellglons, buL argues LhaL Lhe concepL ls
already prohlblLed wlLhln Lhe exlsLlng lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs framework, ln Lhe ArLlcles menLloned
above. neverLheless Lhe ClC ulLlmaLely alms for such an lnsLrumenL Lo combaL defamaLlon of rellglons.
1he reason for Lhe absence for such a sLrong demand ln Lhe drafL resoluLlon may lle ln Lhe conLlnulng
decrease of favourable voLes for Lhe resoluLlons durlng recenL years. Such a sLrong demand could rlsk
Lhe conLlnuous adopLlon of Lhe 'combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons' resoluLlons, whlch Lhe ClC ls
unllkely Lo wanL Lo [eopardlse. 8esoluLlons, even wlLhouL Lhe conLenL LhaL demands Lhe esLabllshmenL
of a new legal lnsLrumenL, are ln Lhe lnLeresL of Lhe ClC. Whlle resoluLlons are noL legally blndlng, over
Llme and as a resulL of sLaLes' pracLlce upholdlng Lhe concepLs of resoluLlons, such concepLs may
20 HRC DraIt. Res. 20 March 2008, A/HRC/7/L.15.
21 HRC DraIt. Res. 11 March 2009, A/HRC/10/L.2.
- 11 -
develop and formallse lnLo cusLomary lnLernaLlonal law. 1herefore Lhls could lead Lo Lhe formaLlon of
Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons lnLo cusLomary lnLernaLlonal law.
22

Meanwhlle Lhe ClC has Lransferred lLs baLLle for a new legal lnsLrumenL Lo combaL defamaLlon of
rellglons Lo Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee.
2.1.3 1he CIC's contr|but|on to the Ad noc Comm|ttee on the L|aborat|on of Comp|ementary
Standards
1he Ad Poc CommlLLee on Lhe LlaboraLlon of ComplemenLary SLandards (Ad Poc CommlLLee)
was founded by P8C declslon 3/103 and was Lasked wlLh Lhe elaboraLlon of complemenLary sLandards
ln accordance wlLh paragraph 199 of Lhe uurban ueclaraLlon and rogramme of AcLlon whlch
'recommends LhaL Lhe Commlsslon on Puman 8lghLs prepare complemenLary lnLernaLlonal sLandards
Lo sLrengLhen and updaLe lnLernaLlonal lnsLrumenLs agalnsL raclsm, raclal dlscrlmlnaLlon, xenophobla
and relaLed lnLolerance ln all Lhelr aspecLs'.
23
1he complemenLary sLandards can be ln Lhe form of a
convenLlon, or addlLlonal proLocol(s) Lo Lhe lnLernaLlonal ConvenLlon on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of All lorms of
8aclal ulscrlmlnaLlon (lCL8u).
ln Lhe flrsL Ad Poc CommlLLee sesslon, held ln 2008 from 11 Lo 21 lebruary and from 13 Lo 19
uecember, Lhe delegaLe of aklsLan, on behalf of Lhe ClC, argued LhaL Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee musL
elaboraLe on speclflc proposals for complemenLary sLandards ln Lhe form of a blndlng legal lnsLrumenL.
uesplLe ob[ecLlons from several wesLern counLrles such as SwlLzerland, LlchLensLeln and AusLrla Lo Lhe
need for a new legal lnsLrumenL or such dlscusslons,
24
aklsLan responded by argulng LhaL Lhe need for
Lhe elaboraLlon was noL Lo be quesLloned, as Lhls had been clearly sLlpulaLed ln paragraph 199 of Lhe
uurban rogramme of AcLlon.
23
lL was supporLed by commenLs from oLher ClC counLrles such as LgypL
and Syrla. 1he flrsL sesslon ended wlLh no agreemenL on new complemenLary sLandards.
1he second sesslon of Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee was held from 19 Lo 30 CcLober 2009. 1he sesslon was
marked by Lhe exLremely dlvergenL vlews of sLaLes on Lhe necesslLy, conLenL and formaL of fuLure
lnLernaLlonal sLandards.
26
aklsLan, on behalf of Lhe ClC, LogeLher wlLh nlgerla on behalf of Lhe Afrlcan
Croup, argued LhaL lL was Llme Lo move away from experL consulLaLlons and general commenLs Lo Lhe
deslgnlng of speclflc proposals for complemenLary sLandards. WesLern sLaLes such as Lhe uSA, norway
22 Steiner, Alston, Goodman, International Human Rights in Context,3
rd
edn, (OxIord, OxIord University Press, 2007)
p. 75II.
23 Durban Declaration and Programme oI Action, www.un.org/durbanreview2009/pdI/DDPAIulltext.pdI.
24 HRC, 24 February 2009 A/HRC/10/88, p.17.
25 Ibid. p. 47.
26 HRC, 17 February 2009 A/HRC/13/CRP.1.
- 12 -
and Sweden (Lhe laLLer on behalf of Lhe Lu) re[ecLed Lhe elaboraLlon of an opLlonal proLocol, argulng
LhaL Lhe exlsLlng legal framework provlded sufflclenL proLecLlon agalnsL dlscrlmlnaLlon. aklsLan,
LogeLher wlLh nlgerla, proposed speclflc provlslons for an opLlonal proLocol Lo Lhe lCL8u ln relaLlon Lo
Lhe defamaLlon of rellglons, lncludlng a proposal for a provlslon governlng lnclLemenL Lo raclal, eLhnlc
or rellglous haLred.
27
1hls aLLempL Lo lnclude Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons largely falled slnce
non-lslamlc, malnly wesLern and several LaLln Amerlcan sLaLes, re[ecLed Lhls concepL alLogeLher. 1he
second sesslon ended wlLh no agreemenL on new complemenLary sLandards.
1he Lhlrd sesslon was lnlLlally planned for november 2010 buL was Lhen posLponed Lo 2011. no
daLe has yeL been seL.
28

2.2 Counter pos|t|ons of human r|ghts organ|sat|ons and UN member states
As descrlbed ln Lhe earller secLlon, Lhe lssue of defamaLlon of rellglons has Lended Lo spllL Lhe
lnLernaLlonal communlLy beLween predomlnanLly WesLern Luropean and norLh Amerlcan sLaLes,
whlch oppose Lhe concepL, and a large proporLlon of Lhe developlng world, whlch has supporLed
resoluLlons on Lhe lssue.
29
Powever slnce 2008, and especlally slnce Lhe uurban 8evlew Conference ln
Aprll 2009, a clear change of dlscourse has become apparenL among un member sLaLes from LaLln
Amerlca or Afrlca, whlch have begun Lo slowly dlsLance Lhemselves from Lhe ClC agenda. 1hose
changes have resulLed parLlally from pressure exerLed by a number of wesLern sLaLes, such as Lhe uSA,
Canada, AusLralla and all members of Lhe Luropean unlon.
30
A furLher force engaged ln lobbylng work
agalnsL Lhe resoluLlons ls composed of lnLernaLlonal and local nCCs. 1he Calro lnsLlLuLe for Puman
8lghLs SLudles (ClP8S), Lhe 8eckeL lund for 8ellglous LlberLy, A81lCLL 19 and Lhe lnLernaLlonal
PumanlsL and LLhlcal unlon (lPLu) are [usL some of Lhe nCCs LhaL have been acLlvely engaged ln Lhe
debaLe.
27 HRC, 21 January 2010 A/HRC/13/58 ,`States parties shall immediately undertake to adopt positive measures
designed to eliminate all incitement to racial, ethnic or religious hatred or discrimination and, to this end, shall
commit themselves, inter alia: To strengthen their legislation or adopt necessary legal provisions to prohibit and
suppress racist and xenophobic platIorms and to discourage the integration oI political parties who promote such
platIorms in government alliances in order to legitimize the implementation oI these platIorms.` In addition,
Pakistan, on behalI oI the OIC, added the Iollowing two proposals: (a)To declare an oIIence punishable by law all
dissemination oI ideas aimed at discrimination or hatred, as well as all acts oI violence or incitement to such acts
against any particular group oI persons; (b)To declare illegal and prohibit organizations, and also organized and all
other propaganda activities, which encourage and incite racial, ethnic or religious hatred or discrimination, and shall
declare participation in such organizations or activities as an oIIence punishable by law; (c) Not to permit national or
local public authorities to incite racial hatred or discrimination; (d) Not to permit political parties to incite racial
hatred or discrimination.`
28 Welcome Desk, Latest Human Rights Council news, http://www.welcomedesk.org/index.php?langen.
29 International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), Speaking Freely about Religion: Religious Freedom, DeIamation
and Blasphemy, 2 November 2009, http://www.iheu.org/UN-blasphemy-report.
30 PANGEA Model UN ConIerence, Combating DeIamation oI Religion,
http://hickoryinternationalcouncil.com/modelun/human-rights-commission/#religion.
- 13 -
2.2.1 1he fa|||ngs of reso|ut|ons on defamat|on of re||g|ons |n ||ght of |nternat|ona| human r|ghts |aw
1he maln concern expressed by dlssenLlng acLors has been LhaL Lhe resoluLlons presenLed by
ClC member sLaLes Lo un bodles do noL adequaLely deal wlLh Lhe core problem: Lhe rlse ln lncldenLs of
physlcal as well as soclo-economlc dlscrlmlnaLlon agalnsL lndlvlduals and groups based on Lhelr
rellglon, speclflcally agalnsL Lhose of Musllm background.
31
1here ls a general consensus among acLors
of Lhe lnLernaLlonal communlLy LhaL Lhe rlse of lslamophobla ls LhreaLenlng, and needs Lo be
addressed. Powever human rlghLs advocaLes and several wesLern sLaLes argue LhaL Lhe approach
pursued by ClC member sLaLes does noL counLer Lhe alarmlng problem adequaLely buL raLher cruclally
undermlnes Lhe fundamenLal prlnclples of human rlghLs law. 1he call by human rlghLs organlsaLlons
and sLaLes, such as 8elglum, Cermany, Lhe Czech 8epubllc and Lhe uSA
32
has also been [olned by some
un Speclal 8apporLeurs
33
emphaslslng LhaL Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of rellglon or bellef as proLecLed under
lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs law ls prlmarlly concerned wlLh 'Lhe lndlvldual and, Lo some exLenL, Lhe
collecLlve rlghLs of Lhe communlLy concerned buL lL does noL proLecL rellglons and bellef pet se'.
34
Powever, as dlscussed below ln greaLer depLh, prevlous resoluLlons on defamaLlon of rellglons have
called on Lhe need Lo proLecL and respecL sysLems of bellefs and rellglous lnsLlLuLlons, whlle placlng a
parLlcular emphasls on Lhe proLecLlon of lslam.
|. Def|n|ng the concept of defamat|on of re||g|on |n |nternat|ona| |aw
Cpposlng volces have hlghllghLed Lhe amblguous naLure of Lhe concepL defamaLlon of
rellglons, and Lhe lack of a clear deflnlLlon ln any of Lhe ClC submlLLed resoluLlons. 1he dlscussed
concepL was scruLlnlsed ln a [olnL declaraLlon ln 2008 by lrank La 8ue (un Speclal 8apporLeur on
freedom of oplnlon and expresslon), Mlklos ParaszLl (CSCL 8epresenLaLlve on freedom of Lhe medla),
CaLallna 8oLero (CAS Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of expresslon), and lalLh ansy 1lakula (ACP8
Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of expresslon) enLlLled 'uefamaLlon of 8ellglons and AnLl-1errorlsm
and AnLl-LxLremlsm LeglslaLlon'. 1hls declaraLlon concluded LhaL 'defamaLlon' referred Lo Lhe
repuLaLlon of lndlvlduals, buL when applled Lo a collecLlve lL may easlly become sub[ecL Lo abuse ln
favour of a cerLaln lnLeresL or ldea, Lhereby suppresslng Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon. '8ellglon'
on Lhe oLher hand does noL have a repuLaLlon on lLs own (llke any oLher ldeology or oplnlon) and
31 GA, 20-24 April 2009, A/CONF.211/L.1.
32 ISHL, Human Rights Council continues to be divided over 'deIamation oI religions'`, 4 October 2010,
http://www.ishr.ch/council/921-human-rights-council-continues-to-be-divided-over-deIamation-oI-religions; and
ISHL, Human Rights Council: heavy criticism against Special Rapporteur on Ireedom oI expression`, 3 September
2009, http://www.ishr.ch/archive-council/523-human-rights-council-heavy-criticism-against-special-rapporteur-on-
Ireedom-oI-expression.
33 See subsequent section 2.3.1.
34 HRC, 29 August 2008, A/HRC/9/NGO/15. and HRC, 20 September 2006, A/HRC/2/3, para 38.
- 14 -
Lherefore Lhe 'defamaLlon' of lL severely conLradlcLs lnLernaLlonal sLandards.
33
1he concepL of
defamaLlon of rellglons ls subsequenLly noL only shlfLlng Lhe focus of Lhe lndlvldual Lowards a sysLem
of bellef, buL nCCs such as A81lCLL 19 and ClP8S have sLressed LhaL Lhe concepL's vague naLure could
allow Lhe rullng body Lo lmplemenL pollcles LhaL confllcL wlLh lnLernaLlonal sLandards. arLlcular
aLLenLlon ls drawn Lo blasphemy laws ln many ClC member sLaLes, such as Saudl Arabla and aklsLan.
36
ln a pollcy paper produced by lPLu ln 2009, Lhe nCC expllclLly warns LhaL 'blasphemy laws conLlnue Lo
be used Lo proLecL pollLlcally domlnanL rellglons from dlssenL, Lo prosecuLe ob[ecLlons Lo human rlghLs
abuses ln Lhe name of rellglon, and Lo exempL powerful rellglous lnsLlLuLlons from scruLlny and
crlLlclsm'.
37
AparL from un member sLaLes ln Lhe wesL LhaL have perslsLenLly re[ecLed pasL resoluLlons, some
absLalnlng sLaLes such as lndla or Colombla have also expressed Lhelr concern aL Lhe amblguous naLure
of Lhe resoluLlon. ln a voLe by Lhe Soclal, PumanlLarlan CulLural Affalrs CommlLLee (1hlrd CommlLLee)
ln november 2009, Colombla for lnsLance [usLlfled lLs declslon Lo absLaln by argulng LhaL Lhe fallure Lo
clearly deflne Lhe concepL defamaLlon of rellglons ln resoluLlons 'could glve rlse Lo dlverse
lnLerpreLaLlons and mlghL llmlL freedom of expresslon'.
38
lndla on Lhe oLher hand, whlch conLalns Lhe
second largesL Musllm populaLlon afLer lndonesla, has also malnLalned lLs rlghL Lo absLaln. ln Lhe
november 2009 voLe lndla absLalned due Lo Lhe narrow focus advocaLed ln resoluLlons on one rellglon
- lslam. lndla also complalned LhaL Lhe resoluLlon appeared Lo conflaLe race and rellglon:
'[C]ur concerns remaln on Lhls resoluLlon as lL conLlnues Lo focus on a slngle rellglon. We belleve LhaL
all rellglons face negaLlve sLereoLyplng ln one slLuaLlon or anoLher ln varylng degree. We feel LhaL Lhls
lssue ls besL addressed under Lhe rubrlc of elLher rellglous lnLolerance or Lhe abuse of Lhe freedom
expresslon. We also have reservaLlons aL aLLempLs Lo llnk Lhls lssue wlLh raclsm.'
39
35 International Mechanisms Ior Promoting Freedom oI Expressions, Joint Declaration on DeIamation oI Religions and
Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Extremism Legislation, 15 December 2008, http://www.osce.org/node/35639. IHEU,
Speaking Freelv About Religion. Religious Freedom, Defamation and Blasphemv, 2 November 2009, p.10,
http://www.iheu.org/UN-blasphemy-report: regarding the diIIiculties attached to combined concept, |j|udicial
standards oI truth are notoriously diIIicult to apply to questions oI Iaith. Opinions on religion, or artistic
interpretations, or even satire oI religion, are oIten susceptible to being proven true or Ialse. Thus, the so called
truth deIence` would not be readily available to anyone accused oI deIamation oI religion`.
36 HRC, 29 August 2008, A/HRC/9/NGO/15. The statement draws attention to the application oI blasphemy laws
justiIied through laws criminalizing deIamation oI religions. It warns that blasphemy laws in many countries are
used to prevent any criticism oI religions, religious leaders and religious institutions, in clear breach oI international
guarantees oI Ireedom oI expression.`
37 IHEU, Speaking Freelv About Religion. Religious Freedom, Defamation and Blasphemv`, 2 November 2009,
http://www.iheu.org/UN-blasphemy-report.
38 GA, 12 November 2009, GA/SHC/3966, http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/gashc3966.doc.htm.
39 Third Committee, 12 November 2009, A/C.3/64/L.27, http://www.eyeontheun.org/documents-item.asp?
d8151&id11240.
- 15 -
||. Internat|ona| |ega| frameworks and defamat|on of re||g|ons
1he resoluLlons adopLed by Lhe CA, Lhe un Commlsslon on Puman 8lghLs (unLll 2006) or Lhe
unP8C (slnce 2006) are noL blndlng, however as prevlously menLloned ln Lhls paper, over Lhe course
of Llme and as a resulL of sLaLes' pracLlce upholdlng concepLs encapsulaLed ln ClC resoluLlons, Lhe
resoluLlons may pave Lhe way for Lhe formaLlon of cusLomary lnLernaLlonal law.
40
ln an aLLempL Lo
reduce Lhe llkellhood of esLabllshlng defamaLlon of rellglons as a norm ln cusLomary lnLernaLlonal law,
nCCs and Speclal 8apporLeurs have repeaLedly emphaslsed Lhe need for sLaLes Lo properly lmplemenL
and furLher sLrengLhen exlsLlng lnLernaLlonal sLandards ln order Lo effecLlvely counLer Lhe rlslng Lrend
of dlscrlmlnaLlon based on rellglon or lnclLemenL Lo rellglous haLred.
ArLlcles 19 and 20 of Lhe lCC8 compose Lhe core elemenLs of Lhe legal framework ln Lhe debaLe.
Speclal 8apporLeurs (see subsequenL secLlon) and nCCs have assumed a declslve role ln arLlculaLlng
Lhe lmporLance and sufflclency of Lhe lCC8. ln coallLlons as well as lndlvldually, nCCs have frequenLly
crlLlclsed ClC resoluLlons as well as Lhe naLlonal leglslaLlon of ClC member sLaLes for noL adequaLely
complylng wlLh lnLernaLlonal sLandards on freedom of expresslon. ln a recenL leLLer slgned by a
coallLlon of 47 human rlghLs organlsaLlons, unP8C member sLaLes were urged noL Lo adopL any
resoluLlon on 'combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons' LhaL were conLrary Lo ArLlcle 19 and 20 of Lhe lCC8,
and Lo voLe agalnsL complemenLary sLandards Lo Lhe lCL8u. Cne of Lhe maln lssues debaLed ln
sLaLemenLs as well as wrlLLen and oral lnLervenLlons Lo Lhe un relaLes Lo Lhe quesLlon of 'haLe speech'.
1ermlnology applled ln ClC drafL resoluLlons ls argued Lo re-deflne Lhe llmlLs Lo haLe speech almed aL
safeguardlng rellglons. 1hose Lerms lnclude 'negaLlve' or 'dellberaLe sLereoLyplng', 'lnLolerance', or
'ldenLlfylng lslam wlLh Lerrorlsm'.
41
8y conflaLlng Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons wlLh ArLlcle
20(2) of Lhe lCC8, whlch deflnes Lhe llmlLs beLween freedom of expresslon and proLecLlon of equallLy,
dlssenLlng volces fear LhaL defamaLlon of rellglons may fall lnLo Lhe caLegory of lnclLemenL Lo haLred
and can Lherefore no longer be proLecLed by provlslons seL ouL ln ArLlcle 19 on freedom of
expresslon.
42

1he ClP8S has re[ecLed such reasonlng by clalmlng LhaL none of Lhe proposed condlLlons LhaL are
40 Thirlway, H. The Sources oI International Law`, Evans, M.D. (3
rd
ed.), 2010, OxIord University Press: New York.
41 HRC, Res. 13/16, 25 March 2010, A/HRC/RES/13/16.
42 Article 20 ICCPR, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm#art20.
ConIlation between deIamation oI religions and incitement to religious hatred and violence Iirst appeared in a draIt
resolution oI March 2008 (HRC DraIt. Res., A/HRC/7/L.15) and since 2009 direct reIerence to Article 19 and 20 oI
the ICCPR had been incorporated in OIC resolutions. HRC Resolution oI March 2010 (A/HRC/RES/13/16)
illustrates a recent example oI the conIlation between the two terms Stressing that deIamation oI religions is a
serious aIIront to human dignity leading to a restriction on the Ireedom oI religion oI their adherents and incitement
to religious hatred and violence.`
- 16 -
encapsulaLed ln Lhe ClC drafLs and resoluLlons adopLed by Lhe unCA are compaLlble wlLh Lhe crlLerla
LhaL consLlLuLe lnclLemenL Lo dlscrlmlnaLlon, hosLlllLy or vlolence as lald ouL ln ArLlcle 20(2) of Lhe
lCC8. Moreover, glven LhaL Lhe ClC resoluLlons parLlcularly alm Lowards Lhe proLecLlon of a bellef
sysLem and noL Lhe lndlvldual bellevers, Lhe provlslons conLalned ln lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs
frameworks may noL acLually apply. aragraph 2 of a recenL resoluLlon on 'combaLlng defamaLlon of
rellglons' adopLed by Lhe P8C ln March 2010 lllusLraLes one of many examples descrlblng Lhe
resoluLlons' focus: '[1he ClC] expresses deep concern aL Lhe negaLlve sLereoLyplng and defamaLlon of
rellglons and manlfesLaLlons of lnLolerance and dlscrlmlnaLlon ln maLLers of rellglon or bellef sLlll
evldenL ln Lhe world, whlch have led Lo lnLolerance agalnsL Lhe followers of Lhese rellglons.'
43
ln Lhe above menLloned leLLer addressed Lo unP8C member sLaLes, organlsaLlons warned LhaL 'laws
prohlblLlng defamaLlon of rellglons are ofLen counLerproducLlve and prone Lo belng abused agalnsL
rellglous mlnorlLles LhaL Lhey purporL Lo proLecL'. nCCs Lherefore advlsed Lhe unP8C LhaL lnLer-
culLural and lnLer-rellglous undersLandlng can only be fosLered Lhrough open debaLe and dlalogue ln a
plurallsL seLLlng.
44
Also, sLaLes such as Sweden (on behalf of Lhe Luropean unlon) have expressed grave
concern aL Lhe suggesLed resoluLlons on 'combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons' as a response Lo
dlscrlmlnaLlon, and have warned LhaL 'lL would llmlL freedom of expresslon and mlghL endanger Lhe
aLmosphere of Lolerance LhaL would enable people of dlfferenL rellglons or bellefs Lo coexlsL wlLhouL
fear'.
43
1ogeLher wlLh Lhe uSA, Sweden has relLeraLed Lhe need Lo apply exlsLlng legal frameworks ln
order Lo remaln conslsLenL wlLh lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs law. ln concurrence wlLh Lhls vlew ls 8razll,
whlch has so far absLalned from lLs voLe due Lo lLs concern LhaL 'Lhe challenges for human rlghLs
ldenLlfled ln Lhe resoluLlon need Lo be addressed ln a conLexL LhaL ls noL deLrlmenLal Lo Lhe proLecLlon
of oLher fundamenLal rlghLs and freedoms, such as Lhe freedom of expresslon.'
46
8razll argued LhaL Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons was noL ln llne wlLh lnLernaLlonal human
rlghLs sLandards and LhaL ArLlcles 19(3) and 20(2) of Lhe lCC8 and exlsLlng frameworks were more
effecLlve ln deallng wlLh lnclLemenL Lo haLred or dlscrlmlnaLlon based on rellglous grounds.
47

43 HRC, Res. 13/ 16, 25 March 2010, A/HRC/RES/13/16, para 2.
44 UNHRC, Civil Society Organisations to State Representatives on DeIamation oI Religions`, 11 March 2010,
www.article19.org/.../letters/letter-Irom-civil-society-organizations-to-state-representatives-deIamation-.pdI ; GA,
Adaptation oI the Final Documents and the Report oI the Durban Review ConIerence, 20-24 April 2009,
A/CONF.211/L.1
45 Third Committee, November 12, 2009, A/C.3/64/L.27, http://www.eyeontheun.org/documents-item.asp?
d8149&id11238 and http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/gashc3966.doc.htm.
46 Third Committee, 12 November 2009, A/C.3/64/L.27, http://www.eyeontheun.org/documents-item.asp?
d8152&id11241.
47 Human Rights First, Focus Paper on DeIamation oI Religions`, March 2010:
www.humanrightsIirst.org/wp.../090429-FD-hrI-working-deIam-relig.pdI; position reiterated in General Assembly's
Third Committee vote on 24 November 2010: http://www.ishr.ch/general-assembly/964-support-Ior-deIamation-oI-
- 17 -
2.2.2 Deve|opments |n d|scourse: Language and vot|ng pattern
As a resulL of perslsLenL pressure applled by wesLern sLaLes and nCCs on oLher sLaLes Lo re[ecL
Lhe ClC drafLs, a clear change ln sLaLes' behavlour among counLrles ln Lhe developlng world has
become apparenL. ln 2006 SouLh korea [olned Lhe dlssenLlng group of predomlnanLly wesLern sLaLes.
Slnce Lhen SouLh korea accounLs for Lhe only sLaLe ln Asla LhaL has consecuLlvely re[ecLed proposed
ClC-sponsored resoluLlons. !apan lnlLlally re[ecLed Lhe resoluLlon whlle acknowledglng Lhe changes
applled Lo Lhe resoluLlon ln recenL years and conLlnulng Lo sLress Lhe lmporLance of freedom of speech
lL has swlLched Lo absLalnlng on subsequenL resoluLlons ln Lhe course of 2007.
48
A slgnlflcanL change ln
Lhe dlscourse was however marked by Lhe uurban Conference ln Aprll 2009. uurlng Lhe conference Lhe
concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons recelved subsLanLlal aLLenLlon, resulLlng ln a flnal compromlse LhaL
any reference Lo Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons was Lo be omlLLed ln Lhe llnal CuLcome
uocumenL.
49

1he llnal CuLcome uocumenL recapLured Lhe focus Lowards Lhe proLecLlon of lndlvldual bellevers
raLher Lhan Lhe bellef sysLem lLself. arLlcular emphasls was placed on Lhe slgnlflcance of freedom of
expresslon ln Lhe sLruggle agalnsL raclsm, xenophobla and relaLed lnLolerance.
30
aragraph 13 marked
an lnlLlal deparLure from a prevlous excluslve focus on lslam as hlghllghLed ln ClC drafLs, by lnLroduclng
concepLs of anLl-SemlLlsm, ChrlsLlanophobla and anLl-Arablsm lnLo Lhe dlscourse.
31
neverLheless, ln a
[olnL sLaLemenL by nCCs, a sharp crlLlque was volced, dlsagreelng wlLh Lhe excluslve naLure of Lhe
'new' approach as Lhe proLecLlon of bellevers of oLher rellglons or non-bellevers was slmply lgnored.
32
1he overall progress however and shlfL Lowards a debaLe embedded wlLhln exlsLlng lnLernaLlonal
sLandards was also reflecLed ln a resoluLlon on Lhe 8lghL Lo lreedom of Lxpresslon, whlch was
presenLed by Lhe uSA and LgypL ln SepLember 2009. 1he focus of Lhe resoluLlon was clearly cenLred on
religion-continues-to-decline-draIt-resolution-passes-by-only-12-votes.
48 A/62/439/Add.2, 18 December 2007.
49 Please reIer to section 2.3.3. Ior a detailed discussion on all signiIicant changes included in the Final Outcome
Document.
50 ARTICLE 19, UN Human Rights Council: Beginning oI the End Ior DeIamation oI Religions?, 23 September 2009,
http://www.article19.org/pdIs/press/un-human-rights-council-beginning-oI-the-end-Ior-deIamation-oI-religions-.pdI
Paragraph 58 oI the Durban Final Outcome Document, April 21, 2009: Stresses that the right to Ireedom oI opinion
and expression constitutes one oI the essential Ioundations oI a democratic, pluralistic society and stresses Iurther
the role these rights can play in the Iight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
worldwide.`
51 Durban Final Outcome Document, Section One, para 12,
http://www.un.org/durbanreview2009/pdI/DurbanReviewoutcomedocumentEn.pdI.
52 Article 19, CIHRS, the Egyptian Initiative Ior Personal Rights and Human Rights Watch, 22 October 2009,
http://www.article19.org/pdIs/press/open-letter-to-the-un-ad-hoc-committee-Ior-the-elaboration-oI-
complementary-.pdI.
- 18 -
Lhe rlghLs and proLecLlon of lndlvldual bellevers raLher Lhan a bellef sysLem.
33
SLaLes and nCCs greaLly
welcomed Lhese new advancemenLs, and yeL A81lCLL 19 expressed some reservaLlon by commenLlng
on Lhe vagueness of paragraph four, whlch refers Lo 'negaLlve raclal and rellglous sLereoLyplng'.
A81lCLL 19 warned LhaL Lhls needed Lo be more clearly deflned ln order Lo ensure Lhe excluslve
proLecLlon of Lhe bellever and noL Lhe proLecLlon of Lhe sysLem of bellef. ln Lhe sLaLemenL, Lhe
organlsaLlon Lherefore suggesLs LhaL ln order Lo refraln from any mlsundersLandlngs, Lhe speclflc
wordlng should be changed Lo 'negaLlve sLereoLyplng of lndlvlduals or groups on Lhe basls of Lhelr
rellglon or race'.
34
ln addlLlon Lo a change ln Lermlnology, a clear change ln sLaLes' behavlour became vlslble ln Lhe overall
voLlng behavlour ln Lhe un. Lobbylng work carrled ouL by crlLlcal volces over Lhe years seemed Lo have
flnally shown some effecL. ln a voLe by Lhe CA ln uecember 2009, a group of LaLln Amerlcan counLrles
lncludlng Mexlco, Chlle, anama and uruguay voLed for Lhe flrsL Llme agalnsL Lhe resoluLlon. 8razll
conLlnued Lo absLaln buL sLrongly encouraged Lhe necesslLy Lo malnLaln Lhe debaLe wlLhln Lhe exlsLlng
legal framework, lncludlng ArLlcle 19 and 20.
33

1he lack of supporL now found ln Lhe currenL dlscourse, whlch ls elaboraLed on ln Lhe followlng
secLlon, ls reflecLed ln Lhe ClC's changes Lo lLs 2010 drafL resoluLlon Lo Lhe CA. 1he ClC has dropped
Lhe resLrlcLlve Lermlnology of 'combaLlng rellglous defamaLlon' ln favour of 'combaLlng rellglous haLred
and vlllflcaLlon of rellglons' ln Lhe hope of obLalnlng voLes from absLalnlng sLaLes.
36
Powever, Lhls new
and seemlngly sofLer approach has already recelved heavy crlLlclsm from nCCs asserLlng LhaL Lhe
resoluLlon conLlnues Lo fall Lo address Lhe proLecLlon of Lhe lndlvldual. Llke Lhe concepL of defamaLlon
of rellglons, vlllflcaLlon of rellglons has never been deflned ln any of Lhe resoluLlons of un human
rlghLs bodles and ls Lherefore prone Lo abuse by resLrlcLlng freedom of expresslon. ln a 2010 [olnL
sLaLemenL, A81lCLL 19 and Lhe ClP8S have argued LhaL llke Lhe prevlous resoluLlons on defamaLlon of
rellglon, Lhe new drafL resoluLlon ls also prlmarlly concerned abouL Lhe proLecLlon of rellglon lLself.
37
aragraph 22 for lnsLance 'calls upon all sLaLes Lo exerL Lhe uLmosL efforLs, ln accordance wlLh Lhelr
53 HRC, 30 September 2009, A/HRC/12/L.14/Rev.1.
54 Article 19, UN Human Rights Council: Beginning oI the End Ior DeIamation oI Religions?`, 23 September, 2009,
http://www.article19.org/pdIs/press/un-human-rights-council-article-19-calls-on-hrc-members-to-vote-against-
prop.pdI.
55 ISHR, Support Ior deIamation oI religion` continues to decline; draIt resolution passes by only 12 votes`, 25
November 2010, http://www.ishr.ch/general-assembly/964-support-Ior-deIamation-oI-religion-continues-to-decline-
draIt-resolution-passes-by-only-12-votes.
56 UN GA, 19 November 2010, A/C.3/65/L.46. Rev.1.
57 ARTICLE 19 and CIHRS, UN member states should vote against proposed resolution on viliIication oI religions,
19 November 2010, http://www.article19.org/pdIs/press/un-ga-un-member-states-should-vote-against-proposed-
resolution-on-viliIicati.pdI.
- 19 -
naLlonal leglslaLlon and ln conformlLy wlLh lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs and humanlLarlan law, Lo ensure
LhaL places of worshlp, rellglous places, slLes, shrlnes and rellglous symbols are fully respecLed and
proLecLed.'
38
Whlle sLaLes' behavlour slowly seems Lo be deparLlng from Lhe concepL advocaLed by ClC
resoluLlons, Lhe laLesL changes applled Lo Lhe resoluLlon mlghL vary ln language, buL conLaln Lhe same
flaws as prevlous resoluLlons.
2.3 Defamat|on of re||g|ons at the UN: 1he current consensus
As now esLabllshed, lnLernaLlonal supporL for Lhe ClC-sponsored resoluLlons has been wanlng
slnce a hlgh polnL ln 2006, desplLe Lhe mlnor concesslonary changes ln language.
39
1hls secLlon alms Lo
esLabllsh Lhe presenL consensus on Lhe concepL aL Lhe un, boLh ln Lhe recepLlon of Lhe resoluLlons ln
Lhe pasL year and Lhrough Lhe expresslons of offlclal oplnlon vla varlous oLher un fora.
1he 2010 resoluLlon aL Lhe P8C ln March 2010 saw lLs lowesL margln yeL, placlng lL [usL four voLes from
defeaL: 20 sLaLes ln favour and 17 agalnsL.
60
ArgenLlna and Zambla voLed agalnsL Lhe resoluLlon for Lhe
flrsL Llme, and accordlng Lo Lhe un monlLorlng group, lnLernaLlonal Servlce for Puman 8lghLs (lSP8),
Chlle, ArgenLlna and Mexlco made sLrong sLaLemenLs durlng Lhe voLe LhaL volced Lhelr commlLmenL Lo
upholdlng Lhe freedom of expresslon whlle combaLlng all forms of lnLolerance.
61
ln november 2010 aL
Lhe un's 1hlrd CommlLLee Lhe drafL resoluLlon was also passed by a 12-voLe margln (81 Lo 33 wlLh 43
absLenLlons), whlch was much lower Lhan Lhe prevlous year's 26 (76 Lo 64 wlLh 42 absLenLlons), and
was upheld ln uecember's CA.
62
AlLhough a small number of sLaLes moved Lo absLaln afLer holdlng
poslLlons agalnsL Lhe resoluLlon, no new sLaLes chose Lo supporL lL.
8oLh 2010 resoluLlons express 'deep concern LhaL lslam ls frequenLly and wrongly assoclaLed wlLh
human rlghLs vlolaLlons and Lerrorlsm' and dlrecLly reference Lhe 'speclal duLles and responslblllLles'
and Lhus Lhe posslble legal llmlLs of free expresslon as conLalned ln ArLlcles 19 and 20 of Lhe lCC8. ?eL
as noLed earller, Lhey do noL call for Lhe crlmlnallsaLlon of defamaLlon, as requesLed by Lhe ClC aL Lhe
second sesslon of Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee ln 2009. Accordlng Lo Lhe bulleLln released by Lhe
58 UN GA, 19 November 2010, A/C.3/65/L.46. Rev.1.
59 The Becket Fund, UN efforts to pass a Binding International Blasphemv Law, 2010`,Spring 2010,
www.becketIund.org/Iiles/international20blaspemy20memo.pdI.
60 HRC, Res. 13/16, 15 April 2010, A/HRC/RES/13/16, in Iavour: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso,
China, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar,
Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and South AIrica (20). Against: Argentina, Belgium, Chile, France,
Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Republic oI Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, United Kingdom,
United States oI America, Uruguay and Zambia (17). Abstaining: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cameroon,
Ghana, India, Japan, Madagascar and Mauritius (8). Angola and Gabon were absent at the vote.
61 ISHR Human Rights Council: changing dynamics on 'deIamation oI religions', April 14, 2010,
http://www.ishr.ch/archive-council/735-human-rights-council-changing-dynamics-on-deIamation-oI-religions.
62 GA, 23 November 2010, GA/SHC/4001.
- 20 -
ueparLmenL of ubllc lnformaLlon ln november 2010, Lhe lssues ralsed ln Lhe 1hlrd CommlLLee Lracked
slmllar faulL llnes from prevlous debaLes Lhrough Lhe decade: Lhere were requesLs from several
delegaLlons LhaL Lhere be less focus on lslam ln parLlcular.
63
Albanla and lndla expressed dlsapproval
LhaL Lhe LexL conLlnued Lo promoLe research lnLo Lhe llnk beLween defamaLlon and raclsm, and varlous
sLaLes expressed concerns for Lhe harm Lhe resoluLlon could do Lo free expresslon. locus was agaln
broughL Lo Lhe lCC8 and also, by llnland, Lo Lhe lCLSC8 ln lLs appeal Lo sLaLes Lo raLlfy Lhe LreaLles and
conslder Lhelr opLlonal proLocols. ln Lurn, ClC sLaLes, represenLed by Syrla, conLlnued Lo sLress Lhe
lncrease ln 'demonlc' porLrayals of lslam and Musllms and anLl-Musllm leglslaLlon, such as Lhe
resLrlcLlons belng lmposed on Lhe consLrucLlon of places of worshlp, and Lo lobby for sLronger legal
and admlnlsLraLlve measures ln response. 1hey bolsLered Lhls appeal wlLh references Lo Lhe unlLed
naLlons Clobal CounLer-1errorlsm SLraLegy and oLher lnLernaLlonal law provlslons, lncludlng Lhe [olnL
sLaLemenL by Lhe SecreLarles-Ceneral of Lhe unlLed naLlons and Lhe ClC, and Lhe Plgh 8epresenLaLlve
for Common lorelgn and SecurlLy ollcy of Lhe Luropean unlon ln uoha, on 7 lebruary 2006, ln whlch
Lhey underscored Lhe need for senslLlvlLy Lo Lhe lssue.
64

neverLheless Lhe ouLlook for Lhe resoluLlon was largely unfavourable for Lhe ClC and lLs supporLlng
sLaLes, as reporLed wldely by medla and lndependenL un monlLorlng agencles such as Lhe lSP8, whlch
noLed:
ulmlnlshlng supporL for Lhe drafL resoluLlon lronlcally followed more open and LransparenL
negoLlaLlons Lhls year. 1hough many sLaLes pralsed Lhe Moroccan-led negoLlaLlons, Lhe uS
deemed Lhe ouLcome worse ln Lerms of subsLance from prevlous years. And desplLe Lhe
Lu and uS urglng sLaLes Lo flnd common ground Lhrough oLher means Lhan Lhe dlvlslve
resoluLlon, Lhe ClC sald lL would pursue Lhe lssue 'relenLlessly', lncludlng brlnglng Lhe
resoluLlon Lo Lhe Assembly agaln nexL year.
63
2.3.1 UN Spec|a| rocedures on defamat|on of re||g|ons
As noLed brlefly above, Lhe work of lndependenL experLs wlLhln Lhe un has been bulldlng an
lnfluenLlal body of oplnlon on Lhe sub[ecL of defamaLlon of rellglons slnce Lhe concepL was flrsL
proposed ln 1999. 1he lssue has feaLured promlnenLly ln Lhe reporLs and sLudles of Lhree Speclal
8apporLeurs ln parLlcular: on conLemporary forms of raclsm, raclal dlscrlmlnaLlon, xenophobla and
63 Ibid.
64 GA, Res. 61/49, 12 February 2006, A/RES/61/49.
65 ISHR, Support Ior deIamation oI religion` continues to decline; draIt resolution passes by only 12 votes`, 25
November 2010, http://www.ishr.ch/general-assembly/964-support-Ior-deIamation-oI-religion-continues-to-decline-
draIt-resolution-passes-by-only-12-votes.
- 21 -
relaLed lnLolerance, on freedom of rellglon or bellef, and on Lhe promoLlon and proLecLlon of Lhe rlghL
of freedom of oplnlon and expresslon. AlLhough each has explored Lhe lssue ln relaLlon Lo hls or her
mandaLe, Lhelr flndlngs and oplnlons have Lended Lo allgn and overlap ln maln areas.
|) Cn the re|at|onsh|p between defamat|on of re||g|ons and the freedom of express|on
ln 2006, for example, when Lhe defamaLlons resoluLlon was aL Lhe helghL of lLs supporL, Lhe
Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of rellglon or bellef reporLed on Lhe poLenLlal LhreaL Lo free expresslon,
warnlng LhaL 'any aLLempL Lo lower Lhe Lhreshold of ArLlcle 20. would noL only shrlnk Lhe fronLlers of
free expresslon, buL also llmlL freedom of rellglon or bellef lLself. Such an aLLempL could be
counLerproducLlve and may promoLe an aLmosphere of rellglous lnLolerance',
66
whlle ln 2008 Lhe
Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of expresslon relLeraLed LhaL proLecLlons wlLhln Lhls arLlcle relaLe 'noL
only Lo comforLable, lnoffenslve or pollLlcally correcL oplnlons, buL also Lo ldeas LhaL offend, shock and
dlsLurb'. Pe also noLed LhaL laws under ArLlcle 20(2) should be clearly and narrowly deflned, should noL
lnLrude on freedom of expresslon, and should be applled by an lndependenL [udlclary.
67
8y uslng
ArLlcle 20 Lo draw Lhe parameLers of Lhe provlslons, Lhe experLs who have held Lhree rapporLeur
poslLlons durlng Lhe pasL decade have conslsLenLly recommended LhaL Lhey be lnLerpreLed ln llghL of
ArLlcles 18 and 19 of Lhe lCC8, as lald ouL ln Ceneral CommenL 10 from Lhe P8C.
68
Lach Speclal
8apporLeur has also expressed concerns - whlch have been echoed and relnforced by many nCCs -
LhaL Lhe Lermlnology and lmpllcaLlons of Lhe resoluLlons on defamaLlon ln relaLlon Lo rellglon are
unclear. 1he Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of expresslon ln parLlcular, has clLed concerns LhaL ArLlcle
20 ls meanL Lo proLecL lndlvlduals, noL bellef sysLems.
ln 2008 Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on raclsm, ClLhu Mugal, dellvered a reporL by hls predecessor uoudou
ulene LhaL called on member sLaLes Lo replace 'defamaLlon' wlLh Lhe legal concepL of 'lnclLemenL Lo
naLlonal, raclal or rellglous haLred', a concepL whlch ls already grounded ln lnLernaLlonal legal
lnsLrumenLs.
69
Mulgal malnLalned focus on Lhe Lheme durlng hls Lenure, as seen durlng Lhe uurban
8evlew Conference ln whlch he: 'relLeraLe[d] Lhe recommendaLlon of hls predecessor Lo encourage a
shlfL away from Lhe soclologlcal concepL of Lhe defamaLlon of rellglons Lowards Lhe legal norm of non-
lnclLemenL Lo naLlonal, raclal or rellglous haLred'.
70
ln a second reporL on Lhe same plaLform Mulgal
sLressed Lhe need for sLaLes Lo sLrlke a balance beLween Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon and Lhelr
66 HRC, 20 September 2006, A/HRC/2/3, para 50.
67 HRC, 28 February 2008, A/HRC/7/14, para 66.
68 ICCPR General Comment No. 10: Freedom oI expression (Art. 19), 29 June 1983.
69 HRC, 1 July 2009, A/HRC/12/38.
70 Ibid, para 7.
- 22 -
moves Lo counLer exLremlsL pollLlcal parLles, movemenLs and groups.
71

1he conLlnulLy of Lhls oplnlon was recenLly conflrmed by Lhe new Speclal 8apporLeur on Lhe freedom
of rellglon or bellef Pelner 8lelefeldL. ln hls flrsL lnLeracLlve dlalogue wlLh Lhe CA's 1hlrd CommlLLee ln
CcLober 2010 he referred Lo Lhe 'chllllng effecL' LhaL new legal provlslons, as urged by ClC
represenLaLlves, could have on Lhe freedom of expresslon. 1he phrase ls one used frequenLly by un
8apporLeurs Lo express parLlcularly sLrong concern.
lL ls lmporLanL LhaL any llmlLaLlons on freedom of expresslon deemed necessary Lo prohlblL
lnclLemenL Lo rellglous haLred be deflned wlLh Lhe uLmosL dlllgence, preclslon and
precauLlon. 1he Lhreshold for any llmlLaLlons musL be very hlgh ln order noL Lo have a
chllllng effecL on Lhe exerclse of freedom of expresslon or oLher human rlghLs. Such
precauLlon ls also ln Lhe lnLeresL of freedom of rellglon or bellef, because a socleLal
aLmosphere of openness enhances Lhe chances of dlspelllng sLereoLypes and pre[udlces.
AL Lhe same Llme, freedom of rellglon or bellef does noL lnclude Lhe rlghL for one's rellglon
or bellef Lo be free from crlLlclsm or all adverse commenL.
72

||) Cn re||g|ous d|scourse
LxperLs servlng under Lhose Lhree un mandaLes have also shared concerns for Lhe negaLlve
lmpacL LhaL Lhe defamaLlon concepL may have on rellglon. 1helr reporLs have ofLen concluded wlLh
recommendaLlons for sLaLes Lo promoLe unresLrlcLed dlalogue wlLhln and among rellglons. 1hls ls a
cause mosL sLrongly advocaLed by Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on Lhe freedom of rellglon, such as Lhe
ofLen-made observaLlon by prevlous mandaLe-holder Asma !ahanglr, LhaL 'Lhe recognlLlon, respecL
and pracLlce of rellglous plurallsm . . . encompasses crlLlclsm, dlscusslon and quesLlonlng of each
oLher's values'
,73
and LhaL Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons ls dangerous because lL can be used
Lo leglLlmlze blasphemy laws LhaL 'punlsh members of rellglous mlnorlLles, dlssenLlng bellevers and
non-LhelsLs or aLhelsLs.'
74

1hls poslLlon was reflecLed ln Lhe Lerms of Lhe mandaLe lLself, whlch was heavlly debaLed before lL was
renewed aL Lhe Puman 8lghLs Councll ln 2010, Lhe changes made upon lLs renewal have slnce been
referred Lo by sLaLes ln varlous blds Lo resLrlcL and redlrecL Lhe mandaLe holder.
73
AlLhough Lhe Lerms
71 HRC, 16 April 2010, A/HRC/14/45.
72 A statement by Heiner BieleIeldt, Special Rapporteur on Ireedom oI religion or belieI, 65th session oI the General
Assembly, Third Committee, 21 October 2010.
73 HRC, 20 September 2006, A/HRC/2/3, para 65.
74 GA, 20 August 2007, A/62/280.
75 HRC Res. 14/11, 23 June 2010, A/HRC/RES/14/11.
- 23 -
of Lhe mandaLe now lnclude Lhe condemnaLlon of lncldenLs of lnclLemenL Lo rellglous haLred,
dlscrlmlnaLlon, lnLolerance and vlolence, as requesLed by aklsLan, consensus was noL found on Lhe
calls for Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur Lo examlne lncldenLs of rellglous lnLolerance and Lo ensure respecL for
places of worshlp.
76
1hls ls noL Lhe only Llme Lhe debaLe has been Laken lnLo Lhe Lerms of a Speclal
8apporLeur's mandaLe. As noLed by a 2008 reporL from Lhe Cuaker unlLed naLlons Cfflce:
[A] conLenLlous LhemaLlc mandaLe was Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on lreedom of Lxpresslon.
1hls was llnked Lo Lhe quesLlon of rellglon slnce Lhe conLroversy revolved around Lhe llmlLs
Lo freedom of expresslon ln relaLlon Lo rellglon (le, Lhe 'carLoons' lssue). 1he mandaLe was
amended by voLe (27-13-3) Lo lnclude reporLlng 'abuse of Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of
expresslon LhaL consLlLuLes an acL of raclal or rellglous dlscrlmlnaLlon, Laklng lnLo accounL
ArLlcles 19(3) and 20 of Lhe lnLernaLlonal CovenanL on Clvll and ollLlcal 8lghLs, and
Ceneral CommenL no. 13 of Lhe CommlLLee on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of 8aclal ulscrlmlnaLlon.
1hls amendmenL led Lo many of Lhe orlglnal co-sponsors wlLhdrawlng Lhelr co-
sponsorshlp: Lhe resoluLlon as amended was adopLed by voLe (7/36, 32-0-13).
77

1he lmporLance of dlalogue among rellglons has feaLured ln Lhe work of Lhe oLher Speclal 8apporLeurs.
ln a reporL on rellglous defamaLlon, shorLly afLer Lhe World Conference agalnsL 8aclsm, 8aclal
ulscrlmlnaLlon, xenophobla and 8elaLed lnLolerance ln uurban, Speclal 8apporLeur on raclsm uoudou
ulene urged sLaLes Lo promoLe dlalogue beLween culLures, clvlllzaLlons, and rellglons, and Lo ensure
LhaL any efforLs Lo combaL dlscrlmlnaLlon addressed rellglons equally.
78
ln a [olnL sLaLemenL lssued a
few years laLer aL Lhe uurban 8evlew Conference, !ahanglr, Malgul and La 8ue warned LhaL Lo legallse
Lhe concepLs of defamaLlon and blasphemy would make Lhem more open Lo abuse.
Whereas some have argued LhaL defamaLlon of rellglons could be equaLed Lo raclsm, we
would llke Lo cauLlon agalnsL confuslon beLween a raclsL sLaLemenL and an acL of
'defamaLlon of rellglon'. 1here are numerous examples of persecuLlon of rellglous
mlnorlLles or dlssenLers, buL also of aLhelsLs and non-LhelsLs, as a resulL of leglslaLlon on
rellglous offences. 1he rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon consLlLuLes an essenLlal aspecL of
Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of rellglon and bellef ... essenLlal Lo creaLlng an envlronmenL ln whlch
76 These terms were brought up in the 2010 interactive dialogues with the special procedures on racism and on
Ireedom oI religion and belieI at the Third Committee, in which Ms. Jahangir`s understanding oI the deIamations
concept was critcised and her successor reminded oI the new terms oI his mandate by Pakistan.
77 Quaker United Nations OIIice: Digging Foundations or Trenches? UN Human Rights Council. Year 2, August
2008.
78 GA, 21 August 2007, A/HRC/6/6.
- 24 -
a crlLlcal dlscusslon abouL rellglon can be held.
79

1hey laLer elaboraLed, aL Lhe same sesslon:
Several rellglons are characLerlsed by LruLh clalms - or even by superlorlLy clalms - whlch
have been LradlLlonally accepLed as parL of Lhelr Lheologlcal grounds. ConsequenLly, Lhe
elemenLs LhaL consLlLuLe a raclsL sLaLemenL may noL be Lhe same as Lhose LhaL consLlLuLe a
sLaLemenL 'defamlng a rellglon' as such. 1o Lhls exLenL, Lhe legal measures, and ln
parLlcular Lhe crlmlnal measures, adopLed by naLlonal legal sysLems Lo flghL raclsm may
noL necessarlly be appllcable Lo defamaLlon of rellglons.
80
|||) Cn re||g|ous |nto|erance
uesplLe Lhelr relucLance Lo fully supporL proposals from Lhe ClC member sLaLes on defamaLlon
of rellglons, lndependenL experLs aL Lhe un have promlnenLly recognlsed Lhe rlse of cerLaln Lypes of
negaLlve rellglous sLereoLyplng ln Lhelr work, and Lhe need Lo urgenLly address Lhls vla sLaLe pollcy. lor
example, ln Lhe concludlng recommendaLlon of Speclal 8apporLeur on raclsm, uoudou ulene's reporL
aL Lhe uurban 8evlew Conference 8eporL Lo Lhe CA on defamaLlon of rellglons and Lhe lmpllcaLlons of
lslamophobla, he sLresses:
[.] Lhe need Lo pay parLlcular aLLenLlon and vlgllance Lo malnLaln a careful balance
beLween secularlsm and Lhe respecL of freedom of rellglon. A growlng anLl-rellglous
culLure and rheLorlc ls a cenLral source of defamaLlon of all rellglons and dlscrlmlnaLlon
agalnsL Lhelr bellevers and pracLlLloners. ln Lhls conLexL governmenLs should pay a
parLlcular aLLenLlon Lo guaranLeelng and proLecLlng Lhe places of worshlp and culLure of all
rellglons.
81
Asma !ahanglr has slmllarly emphaslsed LhaL alLhough lnLoleranL behavlour does noL necessarlly
consLlLuLe a human rlghLs vlolaLlon lL sLlll Lends Lo polarlze rellglous groups and affecL soclal coheslon,
and LhaL Lhe [udlclary should play a role ln assesslng wheLher lncldenLs amounL Lo vlolaLlons.
82
ln her
flnal reporL as Speclal 8apporLeur on Lhe freedom of rellglon ln 2010, she relLeraLed her oplnlon LhaL
Lhe advocacy of rellglous haLred should be prohlblLed by law,
83
and alLhough she conslsLenLly deflned
79 Read by the Rapporteurs at a UN-organised side-event at the Durban Review ConIerence, 22 April 2009.
80 Joint statement by the three Special Rapporteurs in summarising the conclusions oI the 2008 OHCHR Expert
Seminar on the Links between Articles 19 and 20 oI the ICCPR`, convened by the UN High Commissioner Ior
Human Rights, 22 April 2009.
81 HRC, 21 August 2007, A/HRC/6/6, para 78.
82 In the Rapporteur`s report to the HRC at its tenth session in 2009.
83 GA, 29 July 2010, A/65//207.
- 25 -
Lhe parameLers of legal acLlon accordlng Lo Lhe provlslons ln exlsLlng lnLernaLlonal LreaLles (noLlng LhaL
she sees Lhem as a poslLlve alLernaLlve Lo blasphemy laws), Lhe 8apporLeur recommended LhaL Lhelr
lnLerpreLaLlon be revlslLed, noLably vla Lhe P8C's Ceneral CommenL no. 11 (1983) on ArLlcle 20 of Lhe
lCC8.
84
Powever, expressed ln Lhls way, Lhe Speclal 8apporLeurs' supporL for exploraLlons lnLo defamaLlon as a
legal concepL has been modesL ln comparlson Lo Lhe proposals made by ClC member sLaLes and Lhelr
supporLers. 1he pasL Lwo Speclal 8apporLeurs on raclsm have promoLed furLher examlnaLlons on
ArLlcle 20 ln Lhelr reporLs, sLresslng LhaL Lhe concepL of lnclLemenL Lo rellglous haLred could be
ldenLlfled wlLhln an effecLlve legal framework, Lhey have also, perhaps more robusLly, backed Lhe
dlscusslons on Lhe developmenL of complemenLary sLandards Lhrough Lhe CL8u.
83
1he Speclal
8apporLeur on expresslon has resLrlcLed hls recommendaLlons Lo lmprovlng Lhe lmplemenLaLlon of
exlsLlng provlslons of Lhe lCC8 and Lhe lCL8u.
Llke many of Lhe nCCs lnvolved ln Lhls debaLe, Lhe Lhree un-based experLs have unlLed ln Lhelr call for
sLaLes Lo Lake a hollsLlc approach Lo Lhe dlscouragemenL of haLe speech and dlscrlmlnaLlon, and Lo
draw on educaLlon, communlLy and lnLer-falLh dlalogue, and lnlLlaLlves wlLhln Lhe medla, raLher Lhan
leglslaLlon. ln Lhe Lwo laLesL reporLs from ClLhu Malgul, released mld-2010 - one speclflcally concerned
wlLh Lhe lmpllcaLlons of lslamophobla - Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on raclsm concluded LhaL Lhe mosL
effecLlve way Lo combaL rellglous lnLolerance ls Lo lmplemenL pollcy measures LhaL deal wlLh Lhe 'rooL
causes' of lnLolerance, whlch reflecLs hls predecessor's oplnlon ln 2007 on 'Lhe need Lo complemenL
legal sLraLegles wlLh an lnLellecLual and eLhlcal sLraLegy relaLlng Lo Lhe processes, mechanlsms and
represenLaLlons whlch consLlLuLe Lhose manlfesLaLlons over Llme' due Lo Lhelr 'hlsLorlcal and culLural
depLh'.
86
As menLloned, rellglous lnLolerance has been an esLabllshed lssue of concern aL Lhe un slnce
a declaraLlon was flrsL drafLed on Lhe lssue ln 1981, and Lhls ls regularly renewed,
87
lL also frames much
of Lhe mandaLe of Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on 8ellglon.
88

2.3.2. 1he n|gh Comm|ss|oner on numan k|ghts and the Secretary Genera|
SupporLlng Lhe work of Lhese Lhree mandaLes has been LhaL of Lhe un Plgh Commlssloner on
84 GA, 20 August 2007, A/62/280; HRC, 7 February 2008, A/HRC/7/10/Add.3.
85 ,HRC, 2 September 2009, A/HRC/9/12.
86 GA, 21 August 2007, A/HRC/6/6 , para 78
87 Such as Resolution 64/164 adopted in the Human Rights Council on 17 March 2010.
88 The mandate title was originally UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance, and was changed to the UN
Special Rapporteur on Freedom oI Religion or BelieI by the UN Human Rights Commission and the UN General
Assembly in 2000.
- 26 -
Puman 8lghLs (PCP8) and Lhe un SecreLary Ceneral (SC) who have lnlLlaLed varlous surveys and
experL consulLaLlons on rellglous defamaLlon ln Lhe laLLer half of Lhe pasL decade. A slgnlflcanL
conLrlbuLlon by Lhe PCP8s (flrsLly by Loulse Arbour, and from SepLember 2008, navaneLhem lllay)
were speclal sLudles of laws and pracLlces on defamaLlon as requesLed by Lhe Puman 8lghLs
CommlLLee, whlch ln 2006 led Lo Arbour calllng for a unlfled undersLandlng of lnclLemenL norms ln Lhe
lCC8 and lCL8u, due Lo Lhe lack of clarlLy on key elemenLs such as Lhe deflnlLlons of 'lnclLemenL',
'hosLlllLy', and 'haLred'.
89
8eporLlng Lo Lhe P8C ln 2007, Lhe PCP8 sLressed Lhe need for enhanced
cooperaLlon and sLronger pollLlcal wlll by member sLaLes ln combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons', and
Lhls led Lo furLher consulLaLlons and reporLs. A 2008 survey among sLaLes led Lhe PCP8 Lo conflrm LhaL
Lhelr undersLandlngs of Lhe Lerm 'defamaLlon' addressed 'somewhaL dlfferenL phenomena and
appl[led] varlous Lerms such as conLempL, rldlcule, ouLrage and dlsrespecL Lo connoLe defamaLlon'.
90
1he Commlssloner's work has hlghllghLed Lhe grey areas LhaL remaln beLween Lhe crlLlclsm of rellglon,
Lhe persecuLlon of rellglous persons and Lhe concepL of rellglous defamaLlon.
1he call for hollsLlc measures has been recenLly ampllfled meanwhlle, by Lhe SC, who raLher Lhan
recommendlng legal responses Lo defamaLlon, has chosen Lo rooL Lhe debaLe ln Lhe wlder Lheme of
rellglous lnLolerance, and Lo back recommendaLlons by un lndependenL LxperLs.
91
ln a !uly 2009
reporL Lo Lhe CA Lhe SC noLed LhaL '[l]n order Lo Lackle Lhe rooL causes of lnLolerance, a much broader
seL of pollcy measures needs Lo be addressed coverlng Lhe areas of lnLerculLural dlalogue as well as
educaLlon for Lolerance and dlverslLy'. 1hls call for hollsLlc measures has boosLed Lhe un's aLLempL Lo
address Lhe lssue of rellglous lnLolerance vla a global programme of semlnars and workshops such as
one held ln !une 2009 enLlLled 'unlearnlng lnLolerance' whlch addressed Lhe dangers of 'cyberhaLe'
and 'dlglLal demonlsaLlon'.
92
1he SC's reporL on defamaLlon llsLed Lhe lnLeracLlon of Lhe PCP8 wlLh Lhe
lssue ln varlous fora durlng Lhe pasL few years, such as a press release expresslng regreL aL
SwlLzerland's ban on mlnareLs, and an address expresslng concern aL Lhe dlscrlmlnaLory naLure of
proflllng aL Lhe CounLer 1errorlsm CommlLLee of Lhe SecurlLy Councll. Pe and Lhe PCP8 have also
noLed LhaL [urlsprudence has also been bulldlng ln Lhe Puman 8lghLs CommlLLee regardlng Lhe
CpLlonal roLocol Lo Lhe lCC8 and lCL8u, and Lhe laLesL reporL of Lhe PCP8 feaLures varlous cases
Laken by clalmanLs alleglng lnclLemenL Lo dlscrlmlnaLlon, hosLlllLy or vlolence. AlLhough mosL clalms
have falled, Lhere have been dlssenLlng oplnlons.
93

89 HRC, 20 September 2006, A/HRC/2/6.
90 HRC,12 September 2008, A/HRC/9/7, para 67; see also HRC, 5 September 2008, A/HRC/9/25.
91 GA, 31 July 2009, A/64/209.
92 These and others are listed in the report oI the UN HCHR on The implementation oI Human Rights Council
resolution 10/22 entitled Combating deIamation oI religions`, HRC, 11 January 2010 A/HRC/13/57.
93 Ibid. The report reIers to cases such as Jassilariat al J. Greece, Communication No. 1570/2007,
CCPR/C/95/D/1570/2007 (2009); and Kasem Said Ahmad and Asmaa Abdol-Hamid v. Denmark, Communication
No. 1487/2006, which both invoked Article 20 oI the ICCPR.
- 27 -
2.3.3 1he Durban kev|ew Conference and the Ad noc Group
As well as belng reflecLed ln Lhe language of un resoluLlons, Lhls body of oplnlon has been
lnfluenLlal ln Lhe drafLlng of oLher reporLs, such as Lhe CuLcome uocumenL of Lhe Aprll 2009 uurban
8evlew Conference and Lhe urafL 8esoluLlon on Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon, co-sponsored by
Lhe uSA and LgypL and passed laLer LhaL same year.
94
8oLh saw Lhe marked sofLenlng of language
relaLlng Lo lnclLemenLs and defamaLlon proposed by Lhe ClC, lnsLead lnvoklng Lerms such as 'negaLlve
sLereoLyplng', drawn from Lhe lCC8. un experLs, among Lhem Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on raclsm and
Lhe PCP8, have oplned LhaL Lhe consensus reached ln Lhe CuLcome uocumenL was a saLlsfylng
balance, reafflrmlng boLh Lhe lmporLance of freedom of expresslon and Lhe need Lo curb haLe speech.
1he PCP8 has recommended LhaL Lhe language of Lhe documenL be used by pollcymakers Lo deflne
domesLlc measures.
93
neverLheless Lhe CuLcome uocumenL was recognlsed as havlng glven parLlcular
welghL Lo Lhe lssue ln Lhe elghL references lL made Lo lnclLemenL, and ln Lhe lnLergovernmenLal
Worklng Croup LhaL was esLabllshed aL Lhe close of Lhe conference Lo look lnLo Lhe conLenL and scope
of a posslble CpLlonal roLocol Lo Lhe lCL8u, and whlch gave rlse Lo Lhe Ad Poc CommlLLee on
ComplemenLary SLandards. AlLhough lLs meeLlng ln laLe 2009 was reporLed as belng more consLrucLlve
Lhan lLs flrsL sesslon, progress was mlnor, and Lu sLaLes conLlnue Lo oppose ClC sLaLes on Lhe need for
complemenLary sLandards. A Lhlrd meeLlng planned for Lhe end of 2010 has been posLponed unLll
early 2011.
2.3.4. Genera| Comment 34 on Art|c|e 19
1hls debaLe conLlnues among Lhe drafLlng commlLLee members of Lhe Puman 8lghLs
CommlLLee's Ceneral CommenL no. 34 on ArLlcle 19 of Lhe lCC8 (hereafLer Ceneral CommenL 34), Lo
furLher safeguard Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of oplnlon and expresslon.
96
1he flrsL drafL, compleLed ln
CcLober 2010, dlscusses Lhe accepLable llmlLaLlons on Lhe rlghL Lo expresslon, sLresslng LhaL Lo
crlmlnallse Lhe holdlng of an oplnlon vlolaLes human rlghLs norms. ln general Lerms, drafL Ceneral
CommenL 34 noLes LhaL any llmlLaLlons musL be [usLlfled and wlLh proof of a clear LhreaL, LhaL
lmprlsonmenL ls never an approprlaLe penalLy for any form of defamaLlon and LhaL all such crlmlnal
laws should be repealed unless Lhey are appllcable under ArLlcle 20. lL also draws aLLenLlon Lo anLl-
dlscrlmlnaLlon conLenL ln Lhe CommlLLee's Ceneral CommenL no. 22, urglng sLaLes Lo base Lhelr acLlon
'on prlnclples noL derlvlng excluslvely from a slngle LradlLlon' when clLlng acLlons Laken ln Lhe
proLecLlon of morals.
97
1he commlLLee ls brlef ln lLs reference Lo blasphemy, llsLlng Lhe lnLernaLlonal
94 See Sections 1 and 2.2
95 HRC, 1 July 2009, A/HRC/12/38.
96 HRC, 25 November 2010, CCPR/C/GC/34/CRP.5.
97 UN CCPR General Comment No. 22, The right to Ireedom oI thought, conscience and religion (Art. 18)`, adopted
- 28 -
legal llmlLaLlons on lLs crlmlnallsaLlon wlLhouL furLher lnLerpreLaLlon, and sLresslng LhaL any crlmlnal
law provlslons LhaL do noL comply wlLh ArLlcle 20 should be repealed. lL does noLe LhaL blasphemy laws
should apply Lo adherenLs of all rellglons equally, and should noL be used Lo prevenL commenLary on
rellglous docLrlne.
Ceneral CommenLs are a way for Lhe un commlLLees Lo asslsL and promoLe Lhe arLlcle of Lhe covenanL,
ease confllcLs of lnLerpreLaLlon and hlghllghL de facLo lnsufflclencles LhaL may have come Lo llghL ln
reporLs Lo Lhe body, and are clLed by organlsaLlons and ln [udlclal declslons.
98
As lL sLands, Ceneral
CommenL 34 reflecLs agreemenL wlLh Lhe recommendaLlons made by un lndependenL experLs and a
lack of supporL for moves Lo prohlblL forms of defamaLlon relaLlng Lo rellglon. Powever Lhls language
wlll llkely be challenged, and may see some change when Lhe drafL ls puL Lo sLaLe parLles ln 2011.
on 30 June 1993, CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.4.
98 Boyle, SoIt Law in International Law-making` in Evans (ed) International law, OxIord University Press, OxIord;
New York: 2006
- 29 -
Sect|on 3: Case stud|es from three CIC States
3.1. 1he Is|am|c kepub||c of ak|stan
1he lslamlc 8epubllc of aklsLan has a ma[orlLy Musllm populaLlon and has passed some of Lhe
world's sLrlcLesL naLlonal laws on blasphemy and Lhe defamaLlon of rellglon. lLs provlslons are
esLabllshed ln Lhe aklsLan enal Code (C), lLs Crlmlnal rocedure Code (CrC) and lLs consLlLuLlon.
Many of Lhese provlslons were lnLroduced or sLrengLhened beLween 1977 and 1988 durlng Lhe relgn of
mlllLary dlcLaLor Zla ul-Paq, who ls known for hls 'lslamlsaLlon' of Lhe counLry, mosLly under marLlal
law.
99
under Ceneral Zla, Sharl'a 8enches were esLabllshed ln Lhe hlgh courLs and Lhe Supreme CourL
(whlch had Lhe [urlsdlcLlon Lo examlne Lhe compllance of domesLlc laws wlLh lslamlc law, even lf no
complalnL was broughL before Lhem), and new ordlnances reseL Lhe parameLers of punlshmenL for
varlous offences, lncludlng expresslons of dlsrespecL Lo lslamlc symbols, Lhe propheL Muhammad, and
hls famlly members and companlons.
100
Cne ordlnance ln parLlcular, Crdlnance xx of 1984, amended
Lhe C Lo slngle ouL Lhe unorLhodox Musllm mlnorlLy group, Lhe Ahmadls, for parLlcular punlshmenL
should Lhey 'ouLrage Lhe rellglous feellngs of [aklsLan's malnsLream] Musllms'.
101
lew amendmenLs
have been made slnce, and aLLempLs Lo do so have been meL wlLh sLrong and ofLen aggresslve
opposlLlon from Lhe sLaLe's powerful conservaLlve rellglous organlsaLlons, as menLloned laLer ln Lhls
reporL. non-Musllm [udges are rare ln Lhe sLaLe, alLhough Lhere have been excepLlons, such as Lhe
appolnLmenL of Plndu acLlng Chlef !usLlce of aklsLan, 8ana 8hagwandas, ln 2007 (now reLlred) and of
a ChrlsLlan hlgh courL [udge, !amshald 8ehmaLullah, ln 2009.
102

1he followlng secLlon on aklsLan wlll presenL an overvlew of Lhe sLaLe's laws on rellglous defamaLlon
and blasphemy, lncludlng recenL amendmenLs and aspecLs of Lhe naLlonal debaLe on Lhe repeal of Lhe
leglslaLlon. lL wlll Lhen examlne Lhe use of Lhese laws ln flve recenL cases, whlle analyslng Lhe exLenL Lo
whlch Lhe freedom of expresslon and oLher fundamenLal rlghLs and freedoms are proLecLed. 1he
secLlon alms Lo ldenLlfy wheLher aklsLan's laws comply or confllcL wlLh lLs obllgaLlons under
lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs law.
99 Muhammad Zia ul-Haq` in GlobalSecurity.org (a US-based source oI background inIormation and developing
news stories in the Iields oI deIense, space, intelligence, WMD, and homeland security).
100 Haqqn, Pakistan. between mosque and militarv, Carnegie Endowment Ior International Peace, Lahore, Vanguard
Books, 2005.
101 Ordinance No. XX oI 1984, which was passed to amend the law to prohibit the Quadiani group, Lahori group and
Ahmadis Irom indulging in anti-Islamic activities` included the addition oI new section 298C to The Pakistan Penal
Code Act XLV oI 1860, as Ieatured in the Iollowing section. www.pakistani.org
102 ASSIST News Service (ANS), Christian lawyer appointed as High Court Judge Iollowing eIIorts oI Pakistan
Minorities Minister`, 28 February 2009, http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09020176.htm.
- 30 -
3.1.1. Leg|s|at|on
1he Const|tut|on
8lasphemy laws ln Lhe C are consLlLuLlonally supporLed by a number of arLlcles ln Lhe 1973
ConsLlLuLlon of aklsLan among Lhem ArLlcle 2, whlch declares LhaL 'lslam shall be Lhe sLaLe rellglon of
aklsLan' and ArLlcle 31 whlch provldes for an 'lslamlc way of llfe'.
103
lL should be noLed LhaL ArLlcle 33,
Lhough brlef, requlres LhaL 'Lhe sLaLe shall dlscourage parochlal, raclal, Lrlbal, secLarlan and provlnclal
pre[udlces among Lhe clLlzens.'
1he ena| Code 1860 and the Cr|m|na| rocedure Code 1898
1he C lays down Lhe naLure of offences under Lhe law, along wlLh Lhelr punlshmenLs, whlle Lhe CrC
ls largely procedural, provldlng machlnery for Lhe punlshmenL. 1he Lwo codes are read LogeLher.
ChapLer xv of Lhe C relaLes Lo 'offences relaLlng Lo rellglon' and Lwo of lLs arLlcles cover blasphemy
and defamaLlon of lslam: 293 addresses Lhe deflllng or 'defamlng' of sacred LexLs, symbols or persons,
wlLh each crlme deflned by Lhe wrongdoer's acLlon and lnLenL. ArLlcle 293-C, however, speclflcally
reserves Lhe harshesL punlshmenL agalnsL Lhose who make derogaLory remarks agalnsL Lhe ropheL,
ArLlcle 298 governs derogaLory remarks agalnsL persons holdlng rellglous offlce, and Lhe mlsuse or
'mlsrepresenLaLlon' of Lhe falLh, parLlcularly by non CrLhodox Musllms.
104

1hey read as follows:

293-A. ln[urlng or deflllng place of worshlp, wlLh lnLenL Lo lnsulL Lhe rellglon of any class:
Whoever desLroys, damages or deflles any place of worshlp, or any ob[ecL held sacred by any
class of persons wlLh Lhe lnLenLlon of Lhereby lnsulLlng Lhe rellglon of any class of persons or
wlLh Lhe knowledge LhaL any class of persons ls llkely Lo conslder such desLrucLlon damage or
defllemenL as an lnsulL Lo Lhelr rellglon shall be punlshed wlLh lmprlsonmenL of elLher
descrlpLlon for a Lerm whlch may exLend Lo Lwo years, or wlLh flne, or wlLh boLh.
103 Article 3 states:
Islamic way oI liIe: (1) Steps shall be taken to enable the Muslims oI Pakistan, individually and collectively, to
order their lives in accordance with the Iundamental principles and basic concepts oI Islam and to provide Iacilities
whereby they may be enabled to understand the meaning oI liIe according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah.
(2) The state shall endeavour, as respects the Muslims oI Pakistan, :
(a) to make the teaching oI the Holy Quran and Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and Iacilitate the learning oI
Arabic language and to secure correct and exact printing and publishing oI the Holy Quran;
(b) to promote unity and the observance oI the Islamic moral standards; and
(c) to secure the proper organisation oI zakat, |ushr,| auqaI and mosques.
104 296 and 297 are not related to blasphemy, but provide Ior the interruption oI religions events and the trespassing on
religious property, respectively.
- 31 -
293-8. ueflllng, eLc, of copy of Poly Curan:
Whoever wlll fully deflles, damages or desecraLes a copy of Lhe Poly Curan or of an exLracL
Lhere from or uses lL ln any derogaLory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall be punlshable
for lmprlsonmenL for llfe.
293-C. use of derogaLory remarks, eLc, ln respecL of Lhe Poly ropheL:
Whoever by words, elLher spoken or wrlLLen or by vlslble represenLaLlon, or by any lmpuLaLlon,
lnnuendo, or lnslnuaLlon, dlrecLly or lndlrecLly, deflles Lhe sacred name of Lhe Poly ropheL
Mohammed (8uP) shall be punlshed wlLh deaLh, or lmprlsonmenL for llfe, and shall also be
llable Lo flne.
298. uLLerlng words, eLc., wlLh dellberaLe lnLenL Lo wound rellglous feellngs:
Whoever, wlLh Lhe dellberaLe lnLenLlon of woundlng Lhe rellglous feellngs of any person, uLLers
any word or makes any sound ln Lhe hearlng of LhaL person or makes any gesLure ln Lhe slghL of
LhaL person or places any ob[ecL ln Lhe slghL of LhaL person, shall be punlshed wlLh
lmprlsonmenL of elLher descrlpLlon for a Lerm whlch may exLend Lo one year or wlLh flne, or
wlLh boLh.
298-A. use of derogaLory remarks, eLc..., ln respecL of holy personages:
Whoever by words, elLher spoken or wrlLLen, or by vlslble represenLaLlon, or by any
lmpuLaLlon, lnnuendo or lnslnuaLlon, dlrecLly or lndlrecLly deflles a sacred name of any wlfe
(ummul Mumlneen), or members of Lhe famlly (Ahle-balL), of Lhe Poly ropheL (8uP), or any
of Lhe rlghLeous callphs (khulafa-e-8ashldeen) or companlons (Sahaaba) of Lhe Poly ropheL
descrlpLlon for a Lerm whlch may exLend Lo Lhree years, or wlLh flne, or wlLh boLh.
Mlsuse of eplLheL, descrlpLlons and LlLles, eLc. 8eserved for cerLaln holy personages or places.
Any person of Lhe Cadlanl group or Lhe Lahorl group (who call Lhemselves Ahmadls or by any
oLher name) who by words, elLher spoken or wrlLLen or by vlslble represenLaLlon:
refers Lo or addresses, any person, oLher Lhan a Callph or companlon of Lhe Poly ropheL
Mohammad (8uP), as "Ameerul Momneen", "khallfaL-ul-Momneen", "khallfaL-ul-
Musllmeen", "Sahaabl" or "8azl Allah Anho",
refers Lo or addresses, any person, oLher Lhan a wlfe of Lhe Poly ropheL Mohammed (8uP),
as ummul-Mumlneen,
refers Lo, or addresses, any person, oLher Lhan a member of Lhe famlly (Ahle-8alL) of Lhe Poly
- 32 -
ropheL Mohammed (8uP), as Ahle-8alL, or
refers Lo, or addresses, any person, oLher Lhan a member of Lhe famlly (Ahle-8alL) of Lhe Poly
ropheL Mohammed (8uP), as Ahle-8alL, or
refers Lo, or names, or calls, hls place of worshlp as Mas[ld, shall be punlshed wlLh
lmprlsonmenL or elLher descrlpLlon for a Lerm whlch may exLend Lo Lhree years, and shall also
be llable Lo flne.
Any person of Lhe Cadlanl group or Lahore group, (who call Lhemselves Ahmadls or by any
oLher names), who by words, elLher spoken or wrlLLen, or by vlslble represenLaLlons, refers Lo
Lhe mode or from of call Lo prayers followed by hls falLh as "Azan" or redlLes Azan as used by
Lhe Musllms, shall be punlshed wlLh lmprlsonmenL of elLher descrlpLlon for a Lerm whlch
may exLend Lo Lhree years and shall also be llable Lo flne.
298-C. ersons of Cadlanl group, eLc, calllng hlmself a Musllm or preachlng or propagaLlng hls
falLh:
Any person of Lhe Cadlanl group or Lhe Lahorl group (who call Lhemselves Ahmadls or any
oLher name), who dlrecLly or lndlrecLly, posses hlmself as a Musllm, or calls, or refers Lo, hls
falLh as lslam, or preaches or propagaLes hls falLh, or lnvlLes oLhers Lo accepL hls falLh, by
words, elLher spoken or wrlLLen, or by vlslble represenLaLlon or ln any manner whaLsoever
ouLrages Lhe rellglous feellngs of Musllms, shall be punlshed wlLh lmprlsonmenL of elLher
descrlpLlon for a Lerm whlch may exLend Lo Lhree years and shall also be llable Lo flne.
103
Internat|ona| 1reat|esaklsLan holds a seaL on Lhe un Puman 8lghLs CommlLLee and has
raLlfled mosL of Lhe core lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs LreaLles. lL newly raLlfled Lhe lCC8 ln !une 2010,
Lhough wlLh reservaLlons whlch declare LhaL Lhe provlslons of ArLlcles 3, 6, 7, 18 and 19 shall be
applled Lo Lhe exLenL LhaL Lhey are noL repugnanL Lo Lhe provlslons of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon of aklsLan and
Lhe Sharl'a laws. lL dld noL raLlfy Lhe CpLlonal roLocol. aklsLan ls also parLy Lo Lhe lCL8u, Lhe
ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure (CA1, also recenLly acceded Lo ln !une 2010), Lhe ConvenLlon on Lhe
LllmlnaLlon of All lorms of ulscrlmlnaLlon AgalnsL Women (CLuAW) and Lhe ConvenLlon on Lhe 8lghLs
of Lhe Chlld (C8C).
106

3.1.2 Amendments to the |aw
ln CcLober 1990 Lhe lederal Sharl'a CourL (lSC), whlch rules on Lhe conformlLy of laws wlLh Lhe
105 Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV oI 1860), Act XLV oI 1860, 6 October 1860, www.pakistani.org.
106 HRC, 26 March 2008, A/HRC/WG.6/1/DZA/2.
- 33 -
ln[uncLlons of lslam, ruled LhaL SecLlon 293-C of Lhe C was repugnanL Lo Lhe rellglon because lL dld
noL dellver Lhe deaLh penalLy for acLs of conLempL agalnsL Lhe ropheL. 1he lSC ruled LhaL 293-C would
be amended by Lhe rullng unless Lhe presldenL Look acLlon Lo have Lhe law amended by Aprll of Lhe
followlng year.
107
1he only appeal Lo Lhe Supreme CourL, by a ChrlsLlan blshop ln 1990, was addressed
and dlsmlssed by Lhe Sharl'a AppellaLe 8ench of Lhe courL ln 2009 because Lhe appellanL was no longer
allve. 1he deaLh senLence Lhus sLands, however no [udlclal execuLlons have yeL Laken place under Lhls
law due Lo a comblnaLlon of delay, appeals, and pardons.
108
Slnce hls elecLlon resldenL Zardarl has
made use of hls consLlLuLlonally auLhorlsed power Lo pardon accused persons, and he and hls parLy,
1he aklsLan eople's arLy () are seen as moderaLely sympaLheLlc Lo rellglous mlnorlLles. Powever
as noLed by crlLlcs,
109
Lhe arblLrary use of presldenLlal pardons ls no replacemenL for Lhe repeal of
weak or dlscrlmlnaLory laws, and should by no means be used as a legal safeguard.
110
1here have been varlous aLLempLs Lo llghLen Lhls senLence slnce, due Lo clalms - deLalled ln Lhe
analysls and cases below - LhaL Lhey are frequenLly mlsused, yeL Lhese have been meL by flerce and
largely effecLlve pollLlcal and popular reslsLance from powerful conservaLlve rellglous organlsaLlons (as
has Lhe use of presldenLlal pardons). Cne crlmlnal law amendmenL was successfully passed ln 2004,
whlch lncreased Lhe responslblllLy of Lhe pollce Lo lnvesLlgaLe Lhe leglLlmacy of a charge under 293-
C.
111
under Lhls amendmenL no case of blasphemy can be legally flled wlLhouL a Lhorough lnvesLlgaLlon
by an offlcer ranklng no lower Lhan Lhe superlnLendenL of pollce [see Annex l].
112
107 Rebecca J. Dobras, Is the United Nations Endorsing Human Rights Violations? An Analysis oI the United
Nations` Combating DeIamation oI Religions Resolutions and Pakistan`s Blasphemy Laws`, 37 Ga. J. Int'l & Comp.
L. 340 2008-2009; The Indian, Pak SC rejects petition-challenging death as the only punishment Ior blasphemy`,
22 April 2009, http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/pak-sc-rejects-petition-challenging-death-as-the-
only-punishment-Ior-blasphemy100183053.html.
108 BBC Online, Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi has price on her head', 7 December 2010,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11930849 and Dobras, Is the United Nations Endorsing Human
Rights Violations? An Analysis oI the United Nations` Combating DeIamation oI Religions Resolutions and
Pakistan`s Blasphemy Laws` 37 Ga. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 340 2008-2009.
109 As noted by AsiI Aqeel and Shaheryar Gill; respectively the Executive Director oI European Center Ior Law and
Justice`s (ECLJ) oIIice in Lahore, Pakistan and Associate Counsel with the American Center Ior Law and Justice
(ACLJ) based in Virginia; in` Presidential Pardon to Pakistani Blasphemy Convict Not the Answer` published by
the European Centre Ior Law and Justice. 29 November 2010; http://www.eclj.org/Releases/Read.aspx?
GUIDea238c6b-3963-4e21-906e-9a016Ie4bc68&sinnws.
110 Article 45 oI the constitution says, The President shall have power to grant pardon, reprieve and respite, and to
remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.`
111 Act 1 oI 2005 The Criminal Law Amendment ACT 2004, published in Pakistan Law Journal (PLJ) 2005 Federal
Shriat Court, p. 207 (see Annex I).
112 As reIerenced in Sherry Rehman: "I believe the repeal option is still the best one, but.` The News, December
2010, http://www.jinnah-institute.org/issues/205-sherry-rehman-qi-believe-the-repeal-option-is-still-the-best-one-
butq, and in and Is the United Nations Endorsing Human Rights Violations? An Analysis oI the United Nations`
Combating DeIamation oI Religions Resolutions and Pakistan`s Blasphemy Laws`, Rebecca Dobras,, 37 Ga. J.
Int'l & Comp. L. 340 2008-2009 .
- 34 -
3.1.3. Imp|ementat|on
Accordlng Lo daLa collecLed by Lhe naLlonal Commlsslon for !usLlce and eace (nC!),
113
a
human rlghLs body paLronlsed by Lhe aklsLan CaLhollc 8lshops' Conference, aL leasL 964 persons have
been charged wlLh vlolaLlng Lhese anLl-blasphemy clauses beLween 1986 and AugusL 2009 ln aklsLan,
whlle more Lhan 30 such persons were kllled exLra-[udlclally.
114
ApproxlmaLely half of Lhose charged
were mlnorlLles - ChrlsLlan, Plndu and Ahmadl - whlch only make up abouL 3 of Lhe populaLlon,
113
leadlng Lo Lhe sLrong and ofLen clLed accusaLlons LhaL Lhe laws are used as a Lool of persecuLlon by
clvlllans and offlclals. 1he law has been crlLlclsed for belng Loo general and requlrlng Loo llLLle proof,
wlLh procedures LhaL are dlsproporLlonaLe Lo Lhe severlLy of Lhe senLence, and llLLle regulaLlon Lo
ensure LhaL correcL procedures are followed. LxLreme concerns have been puL forward from mlnorlLy
rlghLs defenders, lncludlng nCCS such as Puman 8lghLs WaLch and experLs wlLhln Lhe un.
116
Whlle
vlslLlng aklsLan ln 1993, Lhe Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of rellglon or bellef declared: '[.]
blasphemy as an offence agalnsL bellef may be sub[ecL Lo speclal leglslaLlon. Powever, such leglslaLlon
should noL be dlscrlmlnaLory and should noL glve rlse Lo abuse. nor should lL be so vague Lo [eopardlze
human rlghLs especlally Lhose of mlnorlLles'
117
Slmllarly, Lhe CommlLLee on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of 8aclal
ulscrlmlnaLlon, ln response Lo a aklsLan sLaLe parLy reporL ln 2009, 'expressed lLs concern abouL
reporLed lnfrlngemenLs of Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of rellglon and Lhe rlsk LhaL blasphemy laws may be
used ln a dlscrlmlnaLory manner agalnsL rellglous mlnorlLy groups, who may also be members of eLhnlc
mlnorlLles' and 'recalled sLaLe parLy's obllgaLlons on freedom of LhoughL, consclence and rellglon'.
118
Powever many non-mlnorlLy Musllms have begun Lo be accused and [alled vla Lhls law, ofLen amld
clalms of personal grlevance and properLy dlspuLes (whlch also ofLen accompany mlnorlLy cases). ln
medla reporLs from 2010 Lhe lederal MlnlsLer for Puman 8lghLs, Syed MumLaz Alam Cllanl, reporLed
an lncrease ln Musllms uslng Lhe laws Lo seLLle scores wlLh fellow Musllms whlle chalrperson ur. Mehdl
Pasan of Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of aklsLan (P8C), an nCC, has sald LhaL around 80 of
113 The NCJP was Iormed in 1985 by the Pakistan Catholic Bishops` ConIerence: http://www.ncjppk.org/
114 HuIIington Post, Institutionalized discrimination against religious minorities`, 10 December 2010,
http://www.huIIingtonpost.com/rebecca-buckwalterpoza/pakistans-institutionalizb794230.html.
115 340 Ahmadis, 119 Christians and 14 Hindus; cited in Joint written statement submitted by Franciscans
International, non-governmental organization in general consultative status; Pax Christi International-International
Catholic Peace Movement, Pax Romana (the International Catholic Movement Ior Intellectual and Cultural AIIairs
and International Movement oI Catholic Students), Dominicans Ior Justice and Peace the Order oI Preachers, non-
governmental organizations in special consultative status`, to the Human Rights Council, A/HRC/12/NGO/14, 4
September 2009.
116 Human Rights Watch, Pakistan: Massacre oI Minority Ahmadis`, 31 May 2010,
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/05/31/pakistan-massacre-minority-ahmadis, Human Rights Watch commented
that the blasphemy law and the government`s Iailure to address religious persecution by extremist groups eIIectively
enables atrocities against minorities.
117 CHR, 2 January 1996, E/CN.4/1996/95.Add.1, Para 82.
118 CERD, 16 March 2009, CERD/C/PAK/CO/20, Para 19.
- 35 -
blasphemy charges are false and have arlsen 'because of properLy lssues or oLher personal or famlly
vendeLLa'.
119
1hls was a ma[or reason for Lhe 2004 amendmenL Lo Lhe crlmlnal law clLed above, whlch
places sLrlcLer condlLlons on arresL procedures for blasphemy. ?eL human rlghLs organlsaLlons such as
Puman 8lghLs WaLch and Lhe AP8C clalm LhaL Lhese are rarely observed, and LhaL pollce offlcers
conLlnue Lo bow Lo pressure from rellglous conservaLlves, parLlcularly ln rural areas, as lndlcaLed by
Lhe cases llsLed below.
120

llnally lL ls lmporLanL Lo know LhaL vlgllanLlsm ls of exLreme concern ln Lhe aklsLan conLexL, as
demonsLraLed ln Lhe number of exLra [udlclal deaLhs and unprosecuLed murders of persons on Lrlal for
blasphemy, ofLen durlng mob vlolence. As prevlously menLloned, aL leasL 30 persons connecLed wlLh
cases of blasphemy have been murdered slnce 1986. 1hls challenges one of Lhe maln argumenLs ln
supporL of Lhe amendmenL of 293-C: LhaL lL would prevenL prlvaLe clLlzens from Laklng Lhe law lnLo
Lhelr own hands and kllllng blasphemy suspecLs.
121
SLaLe proLecLlon for suspecLed blasphemers ls ofLen
lnadequaLe and alLhough Lhey are rouLlnely deLalned ln separaLe cells Lo proLecL Lhem from cell maLes,
several people accused of blasphemy have been kllled ln [all. 1he deaLh Loll has also lncluded relaLlves
of Lhe accused and even members of Lhe [udlclary lnvolved ln blasphemy cases. nCCs reporL LhaL
Lhose who have served senLences or been acqulLLed of blasphemy charges are usually forced lnLo
hldlng, or wlll clalm asylum (Ahmadls make up a subsLanLlal proporLlon of successful asylum clalms
from aklsLan, ofLen on clalms of rellglous persecuLlon). lmpunlLy ls common for Musllm clvlllans or
pollce offlcers who harass, LhreaLen or harm persons accused of blasphemy, and Lhe slanderlng of
blasphemy vlcLlms by oLher clvlllans, even when lllegal - such as cases ln whlch Lhe loud speakers of
Mosques are lllegally used, or when deaLh LhreaLs are publlshed ln newspapers - recelves llLLle or no
aLLenLlon from pollce, Lhough Lhey commonly precede deadly aLLacks.
122
119 The Express Tribune, Blasphemy laws: 58 oI women booked are Muslims`, 1 December 2010,
http://tribune.com.pk/story/84133/blasphemy-laws-58-oI-women-booked-are-muslims.
120 Human Rights Watch, Pakistan: Repeal Blasphemy Laws`, 23 November 2010;
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/11/22/pakistan-repeal-blasphemy-law; AHRC, PAKISTAN: The Christian
community in Punjab is under threat Irom extremist groups again; two brothers are illegally charged with
blasphemy`, 14 July 2010, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2010/3503/.
121 Jinnah Institute, BrieIing Pack` on: Amendments to the Blasphemy Laws Act 2010, http://www.jinnah-
institute.org/images/ji20brieIing20pack20amendments20to20the20blasphemy20laws.pdI;
Blasphemy Law Revisted` by I.A. Rehman, The Dawn, 29 July 2010, Iorwarded by the Asian Human Rights
Commission:
In a preIace to Namoos-i-Risalat`, an account oI the making oI 295-C by Advocate Ismail Qureshi,
(Al Faisal Publishers, Lahore, 1994), Iormer Supreme Court judge and Iormer president RaIiq Tarar
declared: II this law is not there the doors to courts will be closed on the culprits and the petitioners
provoked by them, and then everyone will take the law in his own hands and exact revenge Irom the
criminals. As a result anarchy will prevail in the country.` The article also noted that in 1994 the Lahore
High Court declared that iI Section 295-C oI the PPC were struck down, the old system oI killing a
culprit on the spot could be revived`.
122 Section 3 oI Loud Speaker Act 1965 bans all types oI speeches other than Azan (the call to prayer) and the Friday
sermon in Arabic, as noted by the AHRC, PAKISTAN: The killing oI two Christian brothers is the result oI the
- 36 -
|. Current deve|opments
ln november 2010 parllamenLarlan Shehrbano 'Sherry' 8ehman proposed Lhe AmendmenLs Lo
Lhe 8lasphemy Laws AcL 2010 ln Lhe naLlonal Assembly of aklsLan, clLlng ArLlcle 23 of Lhe aklsLan
ConsLlLuLlon, whlch alms for equal proLecLlon of all clLlzens under Lhe law.
123
1he AcL deLalls sweeplng,
sLrong amendmenLs Lo Lhe Lwo sLaLuLory codes, Lhe C and CrC, whlch would flrsLly llghLen Lhe
penalLles of blasphemy, and secondly, lncrease Lhe responslblllLy of Lhe complalnanL and allow for Lhe
punlshmenL of 'Lhose maklng false or frlvolous allegaLlons' under secLlon 293' or who glve rlse Lo 'any
advocacy of rellglous haLred LhaL consLlLuLes lnclLemenL Lo dlscrlmlnaLlon or vlolence an offence.'
Lxpresslng concerns abouL Lhe sLrengLh of aklsLan's Sesslon CourLs, 8ehman also suggesLed LhaL
complalnLs be Lrled by hlgh courLs Lo 'sLrengLhen Lhe posslblllLy for [usLlce. under a hlgher degree of
publlc scruLlny.'
124
CLher amendmenLs lnclude Lhe suggesLlon LhaL a Len-year senLence be reduced Lo
Lwo years under SecLlon 293-A, and LhaL lmprlsonmenL Lo llfe be reduced Lo a senLence of up Lo flve
years or a flne.
123

8ehman proposes LhaL Lhe amendmenLs wlll acL as a safeguard agalnsL Lhe mlsuse of Lhe laws, and
ensure Lhe proLecLlon of aklsLan's mlnorlLles and 'vulnerable clLlzens, who rouLlnely face [udgmenLs
and verdlcLs aL Lhe lower courLs where mob pressure ls ofLen moblllzed Lo obLaln a convlcLlon'. She
also used, as furLher [usLlflcaLlon, Lhe facL LhaL Lhe laws were 'man-made' and lnLroduced vla 'a
dlcLaLor's Crdlnance, wlLhouL parllamenLary consulLaLlon or publlc debaLe.'
126
Crdlnances ln aklsLan
are Lemporary legal devlces.
ln november 2010, Lhe MlnlsLer for MlnorlLles Shahbaz 8haLLl announced LhaL alLhough Lhe repeal of
Lhe laws was noL belng consldered, 'we are conslderlng changlng lL so LhaL mlsuse of Lhe law should be
sLopped.'
127
Powever ln early uecember, member of parllamenL, Azlz 8alg, submlLLed a clLlzen's
peLlLlon whlch argued LhaL lawmakers dld noL have Lhe consLlLuLlonal rlghL Lo amend laws LhaL relaLed
Lo rellglon, and !udge khwa[a Mohammad Sharlf has ordered Lhe blll Lo be frozen whlle Lhe courL
assesses Lhe leglslaLlve auLhorlLy of parllamenL over blasphemy laws.
128
1he response from many of Lhe
negligence and bias oI the Punjab government and police,` 20 July 2010,
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainIile.php/2010statements/2693/.
123 The Amendments to the Blasphemy Laws Act 2010 can be read at the Jinnah Institute`s website:
http://www.jinnah-institute.org.
124 Sherry Rehman: I believe the repeal option is still the best one, but.` The News, December 2010,
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2010-weekly/nos-12-12-2010/dia.htm#5.
125 Ibid.
126 Ibid.
127 All Voices media (online media outlet), Pakistani Government will not repeal blasphemy law: minister Ior
Minorities`, November 23 2010, http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7416694-pakistani-government-will-
not-repeal-blasphemy-law-minister-Ior-minorities/images.
128 South Asia News, Pakistani court blocks government drive to relax blasphemy laws`, 6 December 2010,
- 37 -
counLry's orLhodox rellglous groups has also been exLremely sLrong, wlLh ten rellglous parLles
organlzlng a naLlonwlde proLesL agalnsL any posslble amendmenL of Lhe blasphemy laws, ln uecember
2010.
129
8ehman herself has been named ln varlous faLwas slnce she proposed Lhe amendmenL Lo Lhe
AcL.
130

AlLhough human rlghLs and mlnorlLles rlghLs advocaLes have welcomed Lhe move Lo amend Lhe laws,
Lhe proposed reforms do noL exLend Lo Lhe expllclL crlmlnallsaLlon of Ahmadl acLlvlLles (298-8 and C).
lurLhermore many argue LhaL repeallng Lhe laws wlll noL be enough Lo ensure lasLlng change. As one
commenLaLor, [ournallsL and documenLary fllm maker 8eena Sarwar oplned ln an arLlcle publlshed by
Lhe AP8C:
1he fanaLlcal and mlsgulded mlndseL culLlvaLed over Lhe pasL few decades wlll noL
dlsappear by slmply repeallng 293-C, alLhough Lhls musL be done. Lmbarklng on a
senslble educaLlon pollcy ls also a long-Lerm sLep LhaL musL be Laken Lo sLop Lhe roL .
1he pollLlcal leadershlp ls responslble for provldlng pollce wlLh Lhe Lralnlng, means and
Lhe orders Lo prevenL such vlolence.
131

3.1.4. Cases
A. 1he case of Aas|a 8|b|
Ms. Aasla 8lbl, 43, of lLLan Wall ln Shelkhpura dlsLrlcL, un[ab provlnce, was senLenced Lo deaLh by a
dlsLrlcL and sesslon courL [udge ln nankana on 8 november 2010 on charges of commlLLlng blasphemy
ln vlolaLlon of SecLlon 293-8 and 293-C of Lhe aklsLan enal Code, she was also flned 8s300,000.
132
Aasla ls a ChrlsLlan and Lhe case has been sLrongly Laken up by ChrlsLlan and oLher mlnorlLy acLlvlsLs ln
campalgnlng agalnsL Lhe mlsuse of Lhe blasphemy laws, as well as by orLhodox Musllms who supporL
http://wwrn.org/articles/?placepakistan.
129 The Dawn, Religious parties to strike against amendment in blasphemy law`, 19 December 2010,
http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/19/religious-parties-to-strike-against-amendment-in-blasphemy-law.html: Speaking
at a press conIerence, Secretary General oI Jamaat-e-Islami, Liaquat Baloch, said that a nationwide strike will be
observed on 31 December. Baloch said that a rally and protest will also observed in Karachi on 9th January. He said
that a calculated conspiracy is on the way to change the Islamic law in the country. Secretary inIormation, oI Jamiat
Ulema Islam (F), Maulana Amjad Khan said that the president and prime minister should take action against Sherry
Rehman Ior the amendment bill against the blasphemy law in the national assembly.`
130 Daily Times, Proposing amends in blasphemy laws`, 9 January 2011, http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/?
page2011\01\09\story9-1-2011pg11.
131 The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Blasphemy laws - Stopping the rot`, 16 November 2010,
http://www.humanrights.asia/opinions/columns/AHRC-ETC-040-2010.
132 From various news reports, among them Spero News, Pakistan: Concern grows Ior Christian accused oI
blasphemy`, 25 November 2010, http://www.speroIorum.com/a/43899/Pakistan-Concern-grows-Ior-Christian-
accused-oI-blasphemy.
- 38 -
lL.
133
1he Covernor of un[ab, Salman 1aseer, was assasslnaLed on 4 !anuary 2010 allegedly due Lo hls
publlc supporL of her case and opposlLlon Lo blasphemy laws, as deLalled ln Lhe followlng secLlon.
1he defendanL, an allegedly llllLeraLe farm worker and parL of Lhe only ChrlsLlan famlly ln her vlllage,
was accused of havlng defamed Lhe ropheL Muhammad on 14 !une 2009 ln fronL of Musllm
nelghbours. Accordlng Lo deLalls of Lhe case as reporLed wldely ln Lhe medla, Lhe women were
lnvolved ln a dlspuLe over Lhe collecLlon of waLer, as well as a small buL longer runnlng properLy
dlspuLe.
134
llve days afLer Lhe lncldenL a local Musllm leader, Carl Sallm, began Lo publlcly announce
LhaL Aasla had commlLLed blasphemy, and reporLedly used Lhe loudspeakers of hls mosque Lo
dlssemlnaLe Lhls [udgemenL and lnclLe a vlgllanLe aLLack, whlch Lhough lllegal, was noL responded Lo by
pollce.
133
lollowlng Lhls, Aasla alleged LhaL she was badly beaLen by oLher clvlllans ln Lhe vlllage.
136
AlLhough she was lnlLlally Laken by Lhe Saddar pollce lnLo proLecLlve cusLody from Lhe scene of Lhe
beaLlng, charges of blasphemy (293 8 and C) were flled agalnsL her ln a llrsL lnformaLlon 8eporL (ll8, a
procedural requlremenL for a crlmlnal case Lo proceed Lo courL) on 19 !une 2010 by Lhe lmam, and no
acLlon was Laken agalnsL her assallanLs. Aasla has slnce clalmed LhaL she dld noL meeL wlLh any lawyers
ln [all, and was noL accompanled by a lawyer on Lhe day of her verdlcL.
137

Cn 1 november 2010, afLer Aasla had been ln remand (mosLly aL a prlson ln Shelkhupura) for more
Lhan a year, !udge naveed lqbal aL Lhe courL of Shelkhupura, un[ab, "LoLally ruled ouL" Lhe posslblllLy
of false lmpllcaLlon, saw "no mlLlgaLlng clrcumsLances", and senLenced her Lo deaLh by hanglng, also
lmposlng a flne of Lhe equlvalenL Lo uS$1,100.
138
Per lawyer, Sk Shahld, flled an appeal aL Lhe Lahore
Plgh CourL on 19 november and requesLed a pardon from Lhe Cfflce of Lhe resldenL, resldenL Aslf All
Zardarl reporLedly asked for a revlew of Lhe facLs of Lhe case from Lhe aklsLanl MlnlsLer for MlnorlLy
133 On 9 December 2010 the details oI this case were narrated and used by Pakistan Christian Congress leader, Dr.
Nazir Bhatti, speaking at a Human Rights Day event at the National Press Club in Washington, to call Ior the repeal
oI Pakistan`s blasphemy laws, and to urge the UN General Assembly member states and their representatives in
United Nations Human Right Council UNHRC to re-consider their stance on DeIamation oI Religion` resolution,
presented by Pakistan on behalI oI Organization oI Islamic Countries, prepared by Egypt and seconded by U.S.A.,
in present situation oI religious minorities in Islamic States because Pakistan wants to globalize blasphemy law`,
http://www.pakistanchristiancongress.org/contents.php?sectionid44.
134 Ibid.
135 Section 3 oI the Loud Speaker Act 1965 prohibits the use oI mosque loudspeakers Ior anything other than Section 3
oI the Loudspeaker Act 1965 bans all types oI speeches other than Azan (the call to prayer) and the Friday sermon
in Arabic, as noted in AHRC, PAKISTAN: The Christian community in Punjab is under threat Irom extremist
groups again; two brothers are illegally charged with blasphemy`, 14 July 2010,
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2010/3503/.
136 BBC, Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi 'has price on her head', 7 December 2010.
137 Spero News, Pakistan: Concern grows Ior Christian accused oI blasphemy`, 25 November 2010.
138 Agence France-Presse, Christian Woman Sentenced to Death`, 11 November 2010
http://timesoIindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Christian-woman-sentenced-to-death-Ior-blasphemy-in-
Pakistan/articleshow/6909757.cms.
- 39 -
Affalrs Shahbaz 8haLLl.
139
Cn 29 november khawa[a Mohammad Sharlf, Lhe chlef [usLlce of Lhe Lahore
Plgh CourL, lssued an lnLerlm order rullng LhaL whlle Lhe maLLer ls pendlng before lL, Lhe presldenL may
noL lssue a pardon for Asla 8lbl.
140

CrlLlcs such as Lhe AP8C have noLed LhaL Lhe case relled only upon Musllm wlLnesses for Lhe
prosecuLlon, and LhaL Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon was carrled ouL by a low ranklng AsslsLanL Sub-lnspecLor,
raLher Lhan aL leasL a SuperlnLendenL of ollce (S), as requlred by crlmlnal procedural law slnce
2004.
141
aklsLan's naLlonal Commlsslon on Lhe SLaLus of Women has also expressed shock over Lhe
senLence. 8eferrlng Lo Lhe clalm, by Aasla's lawyers, LhaL Lhe 'eyewlLnesses' were noL presenL aL Lhe
Llme of Lhe allegedly blasphemous lncldenL, 8ana Sanaullah, Lhe un[ab MlnlsLer of Law, sLaLed LhaL 'ln
cases llke Lhls of false wlLnesses, once proof of bad falLh has been esLabllshed, Lhe same penalLy
should be lmposed as LhaL suffered by Lhe lnnocenL vlcLlms of false charges.'
142

Aasla ls currenLly ln lsolaLlon ln Shelkhupura prlson, faclng LhreaLs agalnsL her llfe lnslde and ouLslde of
Lhe prlson. Asylum has reporLedly been offered Lo her by Lhe Canadlan and lLallan governmenLs.
143

AddlLlonal lnformaLlon:
An aggresslve publlc campalgn ln supporL of a gullLy verdlcL and deaLh senLence was waged ouLslde Lhe
courL house LhroughouL Lhe Lrlal, reporLedly led by Carl ?aqub, of !amaaL-ud-uawa (whlch uCPl news
and oLher medla sources have reporLed as belng blackllsLed by Lhe un for suspecLed LerrorlsL llnks),
Lhls lnvolved Lhe publlc offer of a reward by a Musllm clerlc for Lhe defendanL's assasslnaLlon, whlch
was wldely carrled by medla buL reporLedly noL credlbly lnvesLlgaLed by pollce.
144
AL leasL one dally
naLlonal newspaper, nawa-l-WaqL has wrlLLen an edlLorlal ln supporL of hls proposal.
143
lL has been
139 CNN, Pakistan's president will pardon Christian woman, oIIicial says`, 23 November 2010,
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-23/world/pakistan.christian1blasphemy-law-christian-woman-zardari?
sPM:WORLD.
140 Ibid.
141 Pakistan Daily Times, Blasphemy cases only aIter SP`s investigation`, 31 July 2004,
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/deIault.asp?pagestory31-7-2004pg717.
142 Door oI Hope International, DOHI-News, Imam calls Ior beheading oI Asia Bibi No Presidential pardon`, 2 August
2010, http://www.dohi.org/us/printableproddetail.asp?prod120810.
143 Ibid.
144 AHRC, PAKISTAN: Muslim leaders who issued decree to kill a Christian woman should be prosecuted , 8
December 2009, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2010/3606. According to the Asian Human Rights
Commission and various media sources, Maulana YouseI Qureshi, a hard line Pakistani Islamic cleric oI Mosque
Mahabat Khan (reportedly the oldest and largest in the Khyber Pakhtoon Kha), told a rally in the north-western town
oI Peshawar that his mosque would give Rs500,000 (US$5,700) to anyone who killed Aasia Bibi.
145 The editor announced and supported the reward` Ior the assassination in the Sar-e-Raahay` or editor`s note on 5
December 2010, which was reprinted in a critical report by Muhammad Amjad Rashid on 20 December 2010 in
syndicated blog, by the Critical Supporters oI Pakistan People`s Party` (CSPPP), under the title Nawa-i-Waqt is
promoting religious extremism` , http://criticalppp.com/archives/32157.
- 40 -
reporLed LhaL represenLaLlves of rellglous organlsaLlon Aalml Ma[las-e-1ahuffuz-e-khaLm-e-nabuaL
(AM1kn) have LhreaLened Lhe governmenL wlLh a counLrywlde proLesL lf Lhe accused ls shown any
clemency by Lhe presldency, and lf Lhere are any moves Lo amend Lhe blasphemy laws.
146
CrlLlcs of Lhe declslon, among Lhem Lhe AP8C and Asma !ahanglr, who ls Lhe presldenL of Supreme
CourL 8ar AssoclaLlon and Lhe former un Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of rellglon or bellef, have
noLed LhaL Lhe [udge ln Lhls case appeared Lo be courLlng popularlLy wlLh hls commenLs LhroughouL
Lhe hearlng and Lhe verdlcL.
147
1he laLe Covernor of un[ab, Salman 1aseer, lnlLlally meL Aasla ln [all
afLer her senLenclng and assured her LhaL he would Lake her case before Lhe presldenL of aklsLan,
advocaLlng her pardon. Pe Lhen reporLed harassmenL by pro-blasphemy law groups such as Lhe
counLry's mosL lnfluenLlal Sunnl Musllm alllance, Lhe Sunnl lLLehad Councll,
148
shorLly before hls
assasslnaLlon on 4 !anuary ln Lahore, he ls Lhe mosL hlgh proflle flgure Lo be murdered ln aklsLan
slnce former leader 8enazlr 8huLLo was kllled, and ls belleved Lo have been kllled by a member of hls
sLaLe appolnLed securlLy Leam because of hls publlc sLand agalnsL Lhe blasphemy laws.
149
Pls deaLh has
sparked boLh angry rloLs and sLrong messages of publlc supporL, 1lme Magazlne reporLs LhaL a
lacebook fan page was seL up for hls suspecLed klller shorLly afLer Lhe lncldenL. When aklsLan's
MlnlsLer for MlnorlLles, Shahbaz 8haLLl, ralsed Lhe lssue slx monLhs ago, he also clalms LhaL he was
LhreaLened wlLh deaLh.
130
uebaLes wlLhln Lhe provlnclal assembly of un[ab have reporLedly glven a
greaLer plaLform for rheLorlc LhaL supporLs SecLlon 293 of Lhe C, and much less space for dlssenLlng
oplnlon.
131
1hls mlrrors Lhe paLh of Lhe blasphemy laws Lhemselves, as recenLly noLed by local news
edlLor, CuraL ul aln Slddlqul who sLaLes LhaL:wlLh Lhe lnLernaLlonal communlLy ramplng up pressure
146 Spero News, Pakistan: Concern grows Ior Christian accused oI blasphemy`, 25 November 2010,
http://www.speroIorum.com/a/43899/Pakistan-Concern-grows-Ior-Christian-accused-oI-blasphemy.
147 Andhra News.net, Asma Jahangir assails LHC stay order against presidential pardon Ior Aasia Bibi`, 1 December
2010, http://news.oneindia.in/2010/12/01/asmajahangir-assails-lhc-stay-order-against-presidentialpa.html: II they
want to get popular there are other ways to do it. Do not twist the laws as court verdicts become precedence,` she
remarked, while speaking at a seminar on 'The blasphemy laws: a call Ior review', organised by Jinnah Institute, a
think-tank launched by Iormer inIormation minister Sherry Rehman.`
148 The Dawn, Sunni Ittehad Council warns oI anarchy iI Aasia pardoned`, 26 November 2010,
http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/26/sunni-ittehad-council-warns-oI-anarchy-iI-asia-pardoned.html.
149 TIME Magazine, Murder in Islamabad: Pakistan's Deepening Religious Divide`, 4 January 2011,
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2040735,00.html.
150 BBC, Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi has price on her head', 7 December 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-
south-asia-11930849.
151 Asian Human Rights Commission, Muslim leaders who issued decree to kill a Christian woman should be
prosecuted`, 8 December 2010, http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-177-2010, When
Mr. Shara, a minority member oI the assembly, wanted to discuss the issue oI Aasia and her punishment, the
speaker, Rani Iqbal Ahmad, reIused to allow Shara to speak on the issue, describing it as sensitive`. Protesting
against the speaker's attitude, legislators belonging to minority communities walked out oI the House. However,
when Ali Haider Noor Niazi oI the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan party began speaking emotionally on the same issue,
the speaker did not stop him. Niazi began shouting within the assembly as he criticised those who were trying to
deIend the woman. Niazi criticised Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer Ior raising his voice in Iavour oI Asia Bibi.
The governor has no right to make eIIorts Ior Asia's pardon,` he said. Niazi was also oI the view that those
demanding the woman's release are blasphemers.`
- 41 -
on Lhe governmenL Lo pardon Aasla and Lo evenLually repeal Lhe blasphemy laws, cerLaln oLherwlse
anLagonlsLlc clerlcs from Lhe 8arelvl and ueobandl schools of LhoughL have come LogeLher Lo cauLlon
resldenL Aslf All Zardarl over golng ahead wlLh Lhe pardon saylng Lhe move may lead Lo unLoward
repercusslons".'
132
1he defendanL's husband and chlldren wenL lnLo hldlng afLer havlng been chased,
harassed and LhreaLened ln Lhelr communlLy, and have noL been provlded wlLh proLecLlon from Lhe
sLaLe.
133

1he paLh of Lhls case demonsLraLes Lhe dlsLlncL lack of safeguards ln place ln aklsLan whlch Lhrows Lhe
chance of a falr Lrlal for a mlnorlLy defendanL ls Lhrown lnLo severe doubL, namely due Lo Lhe fallure Lo
ensure Lhe proLecLlon of Lhe [udlclary, lawyers and pollcy makers from popular pressure and any
accompanylng aggresslon. AlLhough as of !anuary 2011 Lhe defendanL has been lmprlsoned ln lsolaLlon
ln remand prlson for her safeLy, she remalns exLremely vulnerable, as do her famlly. 8y falllng Lo legally
address Lhe mob vlolence perpeLraLed agalnsL Aasla 8lbl, Lo lnvesLlgaLe Lhe publlc calls for her deaLh by
lndlvlduals and ln Lhe medla, or Lo arrange for offlclal sLaLe proLecLlon for her famlly, Lhe sLaLe ls belng
seen Lo exLend lmpunlLy for Lhese crlmes, whlch wlll serve Lo encourage vlgllanLe aLLacks agalnsL
accused blasphemers and mlnorlLles. 8y dolng so aklsLan falls ln lLs poslLlve obllgaLlons under Lhe
lCC8 and oLher lnLernaLlonal lnsLrumenLs Lo prevenL, punlsh and proLecL clLlzens from dlscrlmlnaLlon
and rellglous persecuLlon, as deLalled ln Lhe concluslon Lo Lhls secLlon.
134
8. 1he case of kash|d and Sa[|d Lmmanue|
8ashld and Sa[ld Lmmanuel were shoL dead by unknown assallanLs on Lhe grounds of a lalsalabad
courLhouse ln un[ab on 19 !uly 2010 durlng Lhelr Lrlal on blasphemy charges, whlle ln handcuffs and
ln pollce cusLody. 1he men, members of Lhe mlnorlLy ChrlsLlan communlLy, had been asslgned
mlnlmal pollce proLecLlon desplLe Lhe escalaLlng vlolence of rloLs ln Lhe area LhaL had called for Lhelr
execuLlon. 1he case became a rallylng cry for ChrlsLlan and mlnorlLy rlghLs acLlvlsLs, many calllng for
Lhe repeal of Lhe blasphemy laws.
8ashld Lmmanuel, 32, was a pasLor and hls younger broLher was an M8A sLudenL, boLh men were
ChrlsLlan and llved ln a largely ChrlsLlan communlLy, uaud nagar ln Warlspura. Cn 2 !uly 8ashld was
arresLed by aL leasL Len unlformed pollcemen and Laken Lo Lhe Clvll Llnes ollce SLaLlon, where he was
152 Dawn newspaper blog, An instrument oI abuse?`, 26 November 2010, http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/26/an-
instrument-oI-abuse.html.
153 BBC, Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi 'has price on her head', 7 December 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-
south-asia-11930849.
154 It was designed as an instrument oI persecution,` says Ali Hasan Dayan, oI Human Rights Watch in Pakistan. It's
discriminatory and abusive`, Ibid.
- 42 -
accused of havlng publlshed a four-page handwrlLLen pamphleL LhaL crlLlclsed lslam and Lhe ropheL
Muhammad.
133
1he phoLocopy LhaL he was shown appeared Lo bear hls and hls younger broLher's
slgnaLures along wlLh Lhelr personal deLalls, lncludlng Lhelr cell phone and naLlonal ldenLlLy card
numbers.
136
A complalnL had been flled aL Lhe sLaLlon by a Mohammad khurram Shehzad, a local
prlnLer, who reporLed Lo have seen Lhe broLhers handlng ouL Lhe pamphleLs. Cn Lhls basls Lhe pollce
offlcers lmmedlaLely flled an ll8.
137
Powever Lhe correcL procedure was noL followed by Lhe Clvll Llnes
pollce, who slnce Lhe revlslon of Lhe procedure under Lhe blasphemy laws ln 2004, are obllged Lo have
any blasphemy complalnLs Lhoroughly lnvesLlgaLed by a superlnLendenL before Lhe flllng of an ll8.
138
A
sub lnspecLor and an asslsLanL superlnLendenL had been asslgned Lo Lhls case. When a local leader of
Lhe ChrlsLlan communlLy challenged Lhls, he reporLed LhaL he was Lold by Lhe SLaLlon Pouse Cfflcer
(SPC) LhaL Lhe rules had been relaxed due Lo pressure from conservaLlve rellglous groups ln Lhe
area.
139
Cn 3 !uly Lhe pollce Look 8ashld Lo Lhe AnLl 1errorlsL CourL (A1C) for pollce remand. 1he A1C dld noL
have [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe crlme, Lhe case was Lherefore refused and he was Laken Lo duLy maglsLraLe
Mr. Aamlr Pablb ln Lhe Clvll Llnes [urlsdlcLlon.
160
Pablb agreed Lo hls Lwo-day remand ln pollce cusLody,
desplLe Lhe breach of procedure.
161
uurlng Lhls Llme Sa[ld Lmmanuel, 30, volunLarlly submlLLed Lo
pollce deLenLlon ln Lhe presence of a 8lshop !oseph CoueLLs of lalsalabad (as a safeguard agalnsL Lhe
abuse of pollce power). PandwrlLlng samples were Laken, buL Lhe Lahore-based experLs broughL lnLo
Lhe case sLaLed LhaL Lhey could noL assess Lhe orlglnal evldence because Lhey were phoLocopled.
Accordlng Lo Lhe Aslan Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon (AP8C), durlng Lhe courL proceedlngs Lhe
lnvesLlgaLlng offlcer Lold Lhe courL LhaL Lhere was no evldence of blasphemy by Lhe broLhers, and LhaL
Lherefore Lhe pollce had no cause Lo furLher remand Lhem ln cusLody. uesplLe Lhe apparenL danger,
Lhe courL ordered LhaL Lhe Lwo men be held ln [udlclal cusLody unLll anoLher courL appearance ln whlch
furLher orders would be lssued.
162
155 AHRC, PAKISTAN: The Christian community in Punjab is under threat Irom extremist groups again; two brothers
are illegally charged with blasphemy`, 14 July 2010, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2010/3503/.
156 Ibid.
157 Ibid.
158 Pakistan Daily Times, Blasphemy cases only aIter SP`s investigation`, July 31, 2004,
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/deIault.asp?pagestory31-7-2004pg717.
159 AHRC, PAKISTAN: The Christian community in Punjab is under threat Irom extremist groups again; two brothers
are illegally charged with blasphemy`, 14 July 2010. Mr. AtiI Jamil Pagan, the ChieI oI Pakistan Minorities
Democratic Harmony Foundation, reported to local NGOs that the sub inspector involved in the investigation, a Mr.
Mohammad Hessian, inIormed him that the accused was being detained without evidence against him because the
case was a sensitive` one.
160 Ibid.
161 Crimes relating to religion were previously under the authority oI the ATC beIore the addition oI clause 780 oI the
Anti Terrorist Act (ATA) in 1997.
162 AHRC, PAKISTAN: The Christian community in Punjab is under threat Irom extremist groups again; two brothers
- 43 -
1he broLhers reporLed LhreaLs from co-deLalnees whlle ln deLenLlon. CreaLer LhreaLs were lssued from
ouLslde Lhe prlson where groups of organlsed orLhodox Musllm acLlvlsLs began hold marches agalnsL
Lhe broLhers, and laLer agalnsL all ChrlsLlans ln Lhe area. 1hese escalaLed lnLo sLreeL vlolence and rloLs,
whlch appear Lo have been slowly and lnadequaLely addressed by offlclals ln Lhe Lown, as deLalled
below. uesplLe calls for greaLer proLecLlon for Lhe broLhers from local concern groups and wlder
naLlonal and reglonal nCCs, boLh were faLally shoL by unknown assallanLs as Lhey emerged from Lhe
courLhouse on 19 !uly 2010. Cne offlcer was also shoL and crlLlcally ln[ured.
163

Accordlng Lo local medla reporLs, Lhe lnspecLor Ceneral of ollce (lC) ln un[ab suspended boLh
Muhammad Paneef, Lhe SuperlnLendenL of Lhe ollce (lnvesLlgaLlon 8ranch), and Lhe uepuLy
SuperlnLendenL of Lhe ollce due Lo Lhelr 'fallure malnLaln law and order', and rlme MlnlsLer Syed
?ousaf 8aza Cllanl personally phoned Lhe Chlef MlnlsLer of un[ab for an appralsal of Lhe
slLuaLlon.
164
Cn 22 !uly Lhe Chlef !usLlce of Lahore Plgh CourL, khawa[a Mohammad Sharlf, Look Lhe
excepLlonal sLep of soo moto acLlon, orderlng a [udlclal lnqulry on Lhe requesL of Lhe un[ab
governmenL, Lo be submlLLed Lo Lhe hlgh courL, and appolnLlng a dlsLrlcL and sesslons [udge of Lhe
Labour CourL ln lalsalabad, Shelkh Muhammad ?ousaf, as Lhe lnqulry [udge.
163
ln a reporL Lo Lhe Chlef
!usLlce, 8eglonal ollce Cfflcer lalsalabad AfLab Ahmad Cheema admlLLed LhaL pollce offlcers had been
negllgenL desplLe dlrecLlons Lo ensure adequaLe securlLy for Lhe deLalnees.
166
1hls was laLer supporLed
by documenLs obLalned by naLlonal newspaper, 1be uowo, lncludlng reporLs from varlous meeLlngs
beLween Lhe 8C, Lhe dlsLrlcL lnLelllgence CommlLLee and Lhe ollce Commlssloner Lo dlscuss Lhe
gravlLy of Lhe case, ensure adequaLe securlLy and avold secLarlan vlolence, promlslng 'all posslble
measures'.
167
1he meeLlngs also reporLedly dlscussed Lhe consequences of a poor lnvesLlgaLlon lnLo Lhe
are illegally charged with blasphemy`, 14 July 2010, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2010/3503/.
163 Ibid.
164 Christian News Service, ASSIST NEWS, http://www.sloppynoodle.com/wp/murder-oI-christian-brothers-sparks-
riots-in-pakistan/. Titel missing
165 The Nation,D&SJ ordered to hold judicial inquiry`, 22 July 2010, http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-
newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Lahore/22-Jul-2010/DSJordered-to-hold-judicial-inquiry.
166 Ibid.
167 In Poor security led to murder oI Emannuels` in The Dawn, 3 August 2010, it was noted: Subsequently, the RPO
convened a meeting oI his subordinates on July 13 to discuss the law and order situation in the wake oI the
blasphemy issue to avoid widespread violence. Documents oI the meeting (10650/PA), dated July 14, read that
pursuant to the commissioner`s meeting, the Iollowing observations were made: 'The issue has been hanging Ior the
last 13 days which is required to be resolved on a priority basis. The RPO emphasised that all possible measures
should be taken to paciIy the tense situation in the district. All such issues should be taken seriously and handled
tactIully. SP investigation Muhammad HaniI, who was later transIerred to the IG oIIice aIter the killing oI the
Christian brothers, was directed to Iinalise the investigation on merit and DSP Ashiq Husain and inspector
Mohammad Husain would assist the investigator in carrying out investigation. It was also discussed that in case oI
poor investigation, the issue may create a sectarian riIt disturbing the law and order situation. The oIIicers concerned
will be held responsible iI this happened and stern action will be initiated against them.`
http://news.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/poor-security-led-to-
murder-oI-emanuels-480.
- 44 -
case on Lhe communlLy.
AddlLlonal lnformaLlon:
1herefore desplLe declslons Laken by hlgh ranklng offlcers Lo proLecL Lhe Lmmanuel broLhers and
conducL a credlble lnvesLlgaLlon lnLo Lhe blasphemy charges agalnsL Lhem, Lhe deLalnees were sLlll noL
afforded adequaLe proLecLlon, nor were Lhey speedlly acqulLLed. 1hls case exposes Lhe challenges of
adequaLely admlnlsLraLlng Lhe blasphemy laws and prevenLlng lLs abuse, parLlcularly ln areas of
frequenL secLarlan confllcL.
lalsalabad ls Lhe Lhlrd largesL clLy ln aklsLan, afLer karachl and Lahore, and ls well wlLhln Lhe reach
and lnfluence of senlor law enforcers and pollcy makers, yeL remalns a place ln whlch pollLlclans
lnflame eLhnlc Lenslons, and where rellglous mlnorlLles regularly experlence hlgh proflle persecuLlon
yeL are afforded mlnlmal proLecLlon ln Lhe face of malnsLream hosLlllLy.
168
1he clLy has one of Lhe
counLry's largesL ChrlsLlan communlLles, wlLh approxlmaLely 100,000 ChrlsLlans llvlng ln Lhe Warlspura
slum.
169
As noLed by Lhe AP8C and local nCC and medla commenLaLors, Lhe securlLy provlslons for Lhe Lwo
men were mlnlmal: [usL Lhree pollce offlclals, lncludlng Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon offlcer, were asslgned Lo
produce Lhe accused broLhers aL Lhe courL, alLhough Lhe ChrlsLlan communlLy had already asked Lhe
local admlnlsLraLlon for greaLer pollce proLecLlon.
170
rlor Lo Lhe men's deaLhs groups of organlsed
Musllm acLlvlsLs had sLarLed Lo rally agalnsL Lhe broLhers ln publlc, wlLh loudspeakers from a number of
mosques used lllegally Lo lnclLe vlolence agalnsL local ChrlsLlans, along wlLh varlous oLher acLs of
aggresslon.
171
Cn 7 !uly a processlon ln Warlspura lncluded Lhe chanLlng of slogans agalnsL ChrlsLlans -
one of whlch called for Lhe hanglng of 8ashld and Sa[ld -and Lhe wlndows and doors of a CaLhollc
church were aLLacked and broken, on 10 !uly Lhe vlolence had escalaLed Lo Lhe burnlng of Lyres and a
call for ChrlsLlans Lo be drlven from Warlspura, and as many lefL LhaL nlghL wlLh Lhelr belonglngs Lhey
168 ASSIST News Service, Gojra Martyrs remembered`, 1 August 2010,
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10080002.htm. In 2009 a deadly attack on Christians 50km away in Korian
village, Tehsil Gojra, Faisalabad saw six people set alight and burned to death. The suspected perpetrators were
members oI Sipah-e-Sahaba, a banned Muslim organization, and the reason given Ior the violence was that a
Christian had deIiled a Quran. Solidarity actions and protests have since taken place between Christians Irom this
village and Irom Daud Nagar in Warispura.
169 UPI, Tensions rise aIter Christian deaths`, 21 July 2010.
170 AHRC, PAKISTAN: The killing oI two Christian brothers is the result oI the negligence and bias oI the Punjab
government and police,` 20 July 2010, http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainIile.php/2010statements/2693/.
171 Section 3 oI the Loud Speaker Act 1965 prohibits the use oI mosque loudspeakers Ior anything other than Azan (the
call to prayer) and the Friday sermon in Arabic, as noted in AHRC, PAKISTAN: The Christian community in
Punjab is under threat Irom extremist groups again; two brothers are illegally charged with blasphemy`, 14 July
2010. http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2010/3503/.
- 45 -
were harassed by men on moLorblkes. 1he AP8C clalmed LhaL efforLs by Lhe local governmenL Lo quell
Lhe proLesL and medlaLe wlLh lLs key leaders reporLedly began ln Lhe evenlng of 10 !uly and were
largely lneffecLlve, wlLh a large rally formlng Lhe followlng day, led by Musllm leaders from varlous
rellglous and pollLlcal parLles (among Lhem khaLme-e-nabowaL, !amlaL ulema-eaklsLan and namoos-
e-8lsalaL) whlch reporLedly relLeraLed deaLh LhreaLs agalnsL Lhe broLhers.
172
CommenLaLors also noLed
LhaL securlLy sLaff aL Lhe gaLe of Lhe Sesslons CourL lalsalabad usually conflscaLe small weapons such
as knlves and nall-cuLLers, ralslng quesLlons has Lo how guns were allowed lnslde Lhe courL premlses.
173
ln !uly 2010 1be uowo reporLed LhaL a case under SecLlon 133-C of Lhe ollce Crder has been
reglsLered agalnsL Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon offlcer and ulsLrlcL SuperlnLendenL of ollce, who was Laken lnLo
cusLody, where he secured ball.
174
lL also reporLed LhaL Lhe lederal MlnlsLer for MlnorlLles Affalrs
Shahbaz 8haLLl Lold 1be uowo LhaL a communlcaLlon had been senL Lo all provlnclal governmenLs Lo
proLecL Lhose under Lrlal for blasphemy, lnslde and ouLslde of [all.
173
1he same reporL noLed LhaL Lhere
were plans Lo lnLroduce amendmenLs Lo Lhe blasphemy laws Lo prevenL lLs mlsuse, noLlng LhaL Lhose
who level false charges should also be punlshed.
Among Lhose condemnlng Lhe governmenL's handllng of Lhe case was Lhe counLry's Puman 8lghLs
Commlsslon, whlch declared lL 'a sad reflecLlon on Lhe sLaLe's obllgaLlon Lo proLecL Lhe llves of all
clLlzens'.
176
uemands by nCCs lncluded Lhe seLLlng up of an lnqulry commlsslon headed by a former
[udge of Lhe Supreme CourL, a blll Lo be Labled almed aL repeallng Lhe blasphemy laws on Lhe
recommendaLlons of arllamenLary SLandlng CommlLLees on MlnorlLles, 8ellglous Affalrs and Puman
8lghLs, and Lhe foundlng of an auLonomous Commlsslon on MlnorlLles under Lhe rlme MlnlsLer,
raLher Lhan under Lhe MlnlsLry of 8ellglous Affalrs or MlnorlLy Affalrs.
177
8allles were also coordlnaLed
172 Speakers at the meeting announced that a set oI gallows had been set up at in the centre oI Faisalabad, in
preparation Ior the hanging oI blasphemous Christians, according to AHRC, PAKISTAN: The Christian
community in Punjab is under threat Irom extremist groups again; two brothers are illegally charged with
blasphemy`, 14 July 2010, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2010/3503/.
173 As noted by Naveed Walter, President oI the Human Rights Focus Pakistan, in various media reports, including
UPI, Tensions rise aIter Christian deaths`, 21 July 2010.
174 The section deals with misconduct by police oIIicers who are guilty oI any wilIul breach or neglect oI any
provision oI law or oI any rule or regulation or any order which |they are| bound to observe or obey,` with the
maximum punishment oI three years in prison, with or without a Iine, http://www.epakistannews.com/prime-
suspect-sho-rana-ilyas.html as mentioned in Dawn, LHC orders judicial inquiry into Christians` murder, 21 July
2010`, http://news.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/44-lhc-orders-judicial-
inquiry-into-Iaisalabad-killings-Ia-01
175 The Dawn, LHC orders judicial inquiry into Christians` murder, 21 July 2010,
http://news.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/44-lhc-orders-judicial-inquiry-
into-Iaisalabad-killings-Ia-01
176 Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Pakistan: Protests against misuse oI blasphemy laws`, 26 July 2010,
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?tpress&id1016.
177 Demands publicised by the Pakistan Chapter oI Women`s Action Forum, as reported in The Dawn, Christian
brothers` murder condemned` 27 July 2010, http://news.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-
- 46 -
by Lhe All aklsLan MlnorlLles Alllance (AMA), Lhe naLlonal ulrecLor of Lhe !usLlce and eace
Commlsslon.
178
C. 1he case of 2a|bun N|sa
Accordlng Lo reporLs from Lhe medla and human rlghLs organlsaLlons, Zalbun nlsa, 33 (ln !uly 2010 as
reporLed by 8euLers, and aged 60 as reporLed by Lhe 88C), from Maarl uanlsh Mandan vlllage ln Suhala
area, was arresLed on 16 CcLober 1996 by Sahala pollce, near lslamabad afLer a Musllm clerlc flled a
complalnL agalnsL her for desecraLlng a copy of Lhe Curan under SecLlon 293-8 of Lhe C.
179
ConLrary
Lo mosL Lngllsh-language medla reporLs, whlch noLed LhaL nlsa Lhen spenL Lhe nexL 14 years ln Lhe
remand secLlon of a menLal hosplLal ln Lahore, a recenL lnLervlew wlLh Lhe vlcLlm ln aklsLan's Lxpress
1rlbune reporLs LhaL she remalned ln [all for nlne years and Lhen spenL a furLher flve years aL Lhe
un[ab lnsLlLuLe of MenLal PealLh afLer a [udge ln a 8awalplndl sesslons courL was lnformed LhaL she
had been dlagnosed wlLh chronlc schlzophrenla.
180

1he complalnanL, Carl Mohammad Pafeez, clalmed Lo have found Lorn pages of Lhe Curan Lhrown ln a
draln, however before Lhe Lahore Plgh CourL ln 2010, Pafeez sLressed LhaL hls complalnL had been
reglsLered agalnsL 'unknown offenders'. Medla reporLs clalm LhaL a pollce offlclal had admlLLed LhaL
nlsa had been arresLed Lo 'defuse Lhe Lenslon', afLer whlch she had been forgoLLen abouL. nlsa's slsLer
Azlzun nlsa lnformed medla LhaL Lhe vlcLlm was a dlvorcee, dependenL on her nephews, and LhaL Lhey
had arranged for her arresL, Azlzun nlsa had been Lold LhaL her slsLer had dled whlle pollce were
lnformed LhaL she dld noL have relaLlves.
181
Lawyer AfLab Ahmed 8a[wa dlscovered nlsa and Look up
her case ln 2009, and flled a peLlLlon for her release. Pe clalms LhaL an examlnaLlon had been carrled
ouL by a medlcal board shorLly afLer her arresL LhaL cerLlfled her as menLally lll. Pe has also sLaLed LhaL
no evldence was ever produced LhaL llnked her Lo Lhe crlme.
182

1hls case shows Lhe exLenL Lo whlch Lhe mlnlmal safeguards already bullL lnLo aklsLan's blasphemy
laws are nelLher followed nor sufflclenL, leavlng Lhem wlde open Lo abuse by Lhose wlLh auLhorlLy
agalnsL Lhose who have none, for varlous non-[udlclal ends. ln Lhls lncldenL we see Lhe law belng
library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/islamabad/christian-brothers-murder-condemned-770.
178 Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Pakistan: Protests against misuse oI blasphemy laws`, 26 July 2010,
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?tpress&id1016.
179 BBC Online, Mentally-ill Pakistan 'blasphemer' is released`, 23 July 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-
south-asia-10739623.
180 Express Tribune, Wronged victim in blasphemy case tries to lead a normal liIe`, 28 July 2010,
http://tribune.com.pk/story/31881/wronged-victim-in-blasphemy-case-tries-to-lead-a-normal-liIe/
181 Express Tribune, Wronged victim in blasphemy case tries to lead a normal liIe`, 28 July 2010,
http://tribune.com.pk/story/31881/wronged-victim-in-blasphemy-case-tries-to-lead-a-normal-liIe/
182 The Express Tribune, Pakistan: 80 accused oI blasphemy are Ialsely implicated,` December 2010,
http://southasia.oneworld.net/todaysheadlines/pakistan-80-accused-oI-blasphemy-are-Ialsely-implicated.
- 47 -
arblLrarlly used as a Lool by Lhose lll equlpped Lo exerclse Lhelr auLhorlLy, agalnsL an 'easy LargeL'. As a
dlvorced, menLally dlsabled woman, flnanclally dependenL on her male relaLlves, Zalbun nlsa ls among
Lhe mosL vulnerable soclal demographlc groups ln aklsLan. 1he case lllusLraLes LhaL Lhe blasphemy
laws ls parLlcularly dangerous ln counLrles wlLhouL sLrong, well supporLed and accounLable
admlnlsLraLlve and legal sysLems, and ln a socleLy ln whlch persons feel Loo vulnerable Lo acLs of
vlgllanLe [usLlce Lo Lhemselves approach and use Lhe law. 1hls ls hlghllghLed by Lhe facL LhaL few lf any
of Lhose acqulLLed by Lhe law ever flle for damages.
183

D. 1he case of the Layahh Ahmad|
lour Leenage sLudenLs and an adulL from Lhe Ahmadl mlnorlLy Musllm secL were arresLed on 28
!anuary 2009 ln koL SulLan, a vlllage ln Lhe Layyah dlsLrlcL, u[ab, on Lhe charge LhaL Lhey had wrlLLen
Lhe name of ropheL Muhammed on Lhe walls of a LolleL ln Lhe Culzare Madlna Mosque, ln vlllage
172/1uA.
184
1he complalnL, flled by LlaquaL All, a malnsLream Musllm from vlllage 172/1uA, led Lo Lhe
arresL of Mubashar Ahmed, 30, Muhammad lrfan, 14, 1ahlr lmran, 19, 1ahlr Mehmood, 19 and naseeb
Ahmed, 16, by koL SulLan pollce. 1he boys were sLudenLs from grades nlne and Len of Lhe Superlor
Academy ln vlllage 172/1uA.
183
Accordlng Lo local and reglonal nCCs, among Lhem Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of aklsLan (P8C)
and Lhe AP8C, pollce neglecLed Lo follow due process ln Lhe arresLs, wlLh no lnvesLlgaLlon conducLed
by a hlgh ranklng offlcer beforehand, and no proof presenLed LhaL could llnk Lhe accused Lo Lhe
grafflLl.
186
Charges were flled under SecLlon 293-C of Lhe C afLer Lhe deLalnees had spenL
approxlmaLely four hours ln cusLody. 1he reasonlng and lnvesLlgaLlon of Lhe ll8 were found Lo be
lnsufflclenL by a P8C facL flndlng Leam ln a reporL publlshed ln lebruary 2009.
187
1he reporL dlrecLly
clLed Lhe reasonlng ln Lhe ll8 as follows:
183 As noted in The Express Tribune, Blasphemy laws: 58 oI women booked are Muslims`, 1December 2010,
http://tribune.com.pk/story/84133/blasphemy-laws-58-oI-women-booked-are-muslims/, a series oI women charged
and acquitted with blasphemy charges, including Nasreen Bibi oI Kabirwala, and Naseem Bibi, who was also
mentally challenged, did not Iollow through with claims Ior compensation.
184 HRCP, Fact-finding report. Filing of blasphemv charges against 5 Ahmadis in Lavvah district, 1 February 2009,
http://www.hrcp-web.org/showIact.asp?id11; AlphaTrade Finance, Children Charged Ior Blasphemy as the
persecution oI Ahmadis in Pakistan Escalates`, 3 February 2010.
185 Ages taken Irom Human Rights Commission oI Pakistan, Fact-finding report. Filing of blasphemv charges against
5 Ahmadis in Lavvah district, 1 February 2009, though variations have been reported, http://www.hrcp-
web.org/showIact.asp?id11. The HRCP is an independent, voluntary, non-political, non-proIit making, non-
governmental organisation, registered under the Societies Registration Act (XXI oI 1860), with its Secretariat oIIice
in Lahore.
186 Human Rights Commission oI Pakistan, Ahmadis held without any evidence oI blasphemy`, 12 February 2009,
signed by Iormer organisation chairperson Asma Jahangir, http://www.hrcp-web.org/showprel.asp?id58.
187 Ibid.
- 48 -
A few days prlor Lo Lhe lodglng of Lhe ll8, Mr. Muhammad Safdar - a resldenL of Chak 173/1uA
- saw Lhe name of ropheL Muhammad (8uP) wrlLLen ln Lhe mosque's LolleL. Pe Lold Lhe
prayer leader, Carl Muhammad Saeed, abouL Lhe wrlLlng. 1he prayer leader sald he knew
abouL Lhe wrlLlng and was problng Lhe maLLer. 1he prayer leader scraLched Lhe name from Lhe
LolleL's walls. 1hereafLer, an employee of CovernmenL Plgh School Chak 172/1uA, Shahbaz
Caslm, also saw Lhe wrlLlng ln Lhe LolleL. Caslm Lold hls faLher noor Llahl kaulachl who
conLacLed unlon nazlm Syed Chazanfar Abbas. 1he nazlm asked hls secreLary Mr. Lhsan Lo
probe Lhe maLLer. kaulachl, who ls a reLlred Leacher, along wlLh resldenLs of vlllages 171/1uA,
172/1uA, 173/1uA and 174/1uA conLacLed Syed lqbal Shah who made a Lelephone call Lo
pollce sLaLlon ln-charge who vlslLed Lhe vlllage. When Pakeem Muhammad Panlf, Safdar Mahr
and Shahbaz Caslm Lrled Lo probe Lhe lncldenL Lhey learned LhaL four sLudenLs from Lhe
Ahmadlyya communlLy -- Mohammad lrfan, 1ahlr lmran, 1ahlr Mehmood and naseeb Ahmed -
used Lo offer prayers ln Lhe mosque and used Lhe LolleLs Lhere. Mubasher Ahmed, anoLher
Ahmadl, was also seen offerlng lrlday prayers ln Lhe mosque. Shahbaz Caslm sLopped Lhe
Ahmadls from offerlng prayers ln Lhe mosque, due Lo whlch Lhey [Lhe accused] Lrled Lo creaLe
Lrouble. We [Lhe complalnanL and oLher vlllagers] suspecL slnce Lhese Ahmadls are Lhe only
non-Musllms comlng Lo Lhe mosque, Lherefore Lhey musL have commlLLed Lhe offence.
1he AP8C, on quesLlonlng pollce offlcers aL koL SulLan ollce SLaLlon, also reporLed LhaL offlcers
admlLLed Lo belng under Lhe LhreaL of sLrlkes, publlc aggresslon and aglLaLlon from fundamenLallsL
groups ln Lhe nelghbourhood, and LhaL Lhey dld noL begln Lhelr lnvesLlgaLlon for more Lhan a monLh
afLer Lhe arresLs .
188
1he P8C noLed LhaL SLaLlon Pead Cfflcer khalld 8auf:
[.] conceded LhaL Lhe law requlres LhaL an lnqulry by a superlnLendenL of pollce (S) musL
be conducLed abouL Lhe occurrence before Lhe reglsLraLlon of a case on charges of
blasphemy. Powever, he added LhaL an S lnvesLlgaLlon had noL been appolnLed Lo Lhe
dlsLrlcL for over Lwo years, Lherefore, an lnvesLlgaLlon prlor Lo Lhe reglsLraLlon of Lhe case
could noL be conducLed. now, Lhe S lnvesLlgaLlon of 8a[anpur dlsLrlcL has been asslgned
Lo oversee Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon of Lhe case. SPC khalld 8auf sald he had vlslLed Lhe vlllage and
examlned Lhe place of occurrence. Pe sald he found no eyewlLnesses or any oLher
evldence ln Lhe case and Lhe ll8 was based on susplclon abouL Lhe accused. Pe sald he
saw reason ln Lhe sLance of Lhe complalnanL and Lhe local resldenLs LhaL no Musllm can
188 AHRC, PAKISTAN: Four children and one man have been arbitrarily arrested and charged with blasphemy at the
request oI Muslim radicals`, 30 January 2009, http://www.ahrchk.net/ahrc-in-
news/mainIile.php/2009ahrcinnews/2498/.
- 49 -
wrlLe Lhe name of ropheL Muhammad (8uP) on a LolleL's walls. When asked lf an
Ahmadl could do such a Lhlng, he refused Lo answer.
lamllles of Lhe boys also reporLed LhaL raldlng pollce had promlsed Lo deLaln Lhe boys for [usL 24 hours
Lo ease Lhe pressure of Musllm fundamenLallsLs ln Lhe area, and LhaL Lhey were glven slmllar reasonlng
by phone by Lhe dlsLrlcL pollce offlcer (uC) of Layyah ollce SLaLlon, ur Muhammad Azam, shorLly
afLer Lhe charges were flled.
189
1he relaLlves Lold nCCs LhaL Azam clalmed LhaL 'Lhe group had
LhreaLened Lo close down Lhe whole clLy and aLLack Lhe houses of Ahmedl secL members' and LhaL he
was worrled abouL clvlllan deaLhs.
190
ShorLly afLer Lhelr arresL Lhe accused were Lransferred from koL
SulLan Lo Saddar ollce SLaLlon ln Layyah clLy, before belng conflned Lo Lhe [udlclal wlng of Lhe uera
Chazl khan dlsLrlcL prlson on 4 lebruary 2009, where, accordlng Lo lnformaLlon dlrecLly recelved from
!amaaL Ahmadlyya aklsLan, aklsLan's maln Ahmadl communlLy organlsaLlon - Lhey remalned unLll
24 Aprll 2010.
uurlng Lhe deLenLlon of Lhe suspecLs Lhe senlor superlnLendenL of pollce (SS) of 8a[anpur, Mr. ervez
8aLhore was asslgned Lo conducL Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon ln Lhe nelghbourlng dlsLrlcL and prepare a reporL
LhaL would allow pollce Lo submlL a cbolloo (case dlary) ln courL. 1he SS's reporL found LhaL Lhe case
had no base and recommended LhaL Lhe accused persons be released, and Lhe reporL was senL Lo Lhe
un[ab MlnlsLry of Lhe lnLerlor aL Lhe end of March 2009, where lL remalned for a conslderable lengLh
of Llme. ln May of LhaL year Lhe AP8C wroLe clalmlng LhaL Lhe process had been affllcLed by
admlnlsLraLlve confuslon, and was belng sLalled.
191
1he AP8C sLaLed LhaL 'on Lhe lnsLrucLlon of Lhe
flrsL class maglsLraLe, Layyah, Lhe provlnclal pollce have Lo submlL Lhe cbolloo on Aprll 28. Powever, lL
was agaln deferred Lo May 12. 1he local pollce say LhaL Lhey could noL submlL cbolloo as Lhey are
walLlng for lnsLrucLlons from Lhe governmenL of un[ab.'
192
AL Lhls sLage Lhe complalnanL and hls
supporLers were sLlll reporLedly adamanL LhaL Lhe Ahmadls be punlshed on Lhe basls of presumpLlon,
whlle pollce offlcers were reporLedly relucLanL Lo release Lhe deLalned boys and man for concerns over
Lhelr safeLy ln Lhe communlLy. 1he courL found Lhe accused noL gullLy and released Lhem ln !uly,
accordlng Lo Saleem ud uln, Lhe dlrecLor of publlc affalrs and spokesperson for Lhe !ammaL Ahmadlyya
aklsLan, who lnformed Lhe auLhors of Lhls paper LhaL:
189 Ibid.
190 Ibid.
191 AHRC, PAKISTAN: Government oI Punjab kept Iour teenagers and a man in illegal detention on Blasphemy
charge`, 6 May 2009, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainIile.php/2009/3150/.
192 Ibid.
- 50 -
A ball peLlLlon before AddlLlonal Sesslon !udge was moved on Lhelr behalf on !une 13 2009
whlch was re[ecLed. SubsequenLly anoLher ball appllcaLlon was flled wlLh Lhe Plgh
CourL and Lhe same was accepLed on !uly 07 2009, and afLer compleLlon of oLher legal
formallLles Lhey were released on ball. 1hey [olned Lhe courL proceedlng Lo face Lhe Lrlal aL
Layyah where fanaLlc opponenLs creaLed [an] adverse and Lerrlble slLuaLlon for Lhem.
leellng unsafe and danger Lo Lhe corporus of Lhe accused Lhelr lawyer moved an
appllcaLlon before Lhe Plgh CourL for Lhe Lransfer of Lhelr case Lo anoLher place. 1he
learned Plgh CourL Lhus Lransferred Lhelr case Lo MulLan where Lhe case proceedlngs
commenced on 03-09-2009 and durlng varlous daLes of hearlng Lhe procedure as lald
down ln law was compleLed and flnally all Lhe accused who were already on ball were
acqulLLed on 24-04-2010.
193
Aama noLes LhaL lL has noL been posslble for Lhe former accused Lo reLurn Lo Lhelr nelghbourhoods
'due Lo Lhe 'poor law and order slLuaLlon'.


AddlLlonal lnformaLlon:
uurlng Lhe facL flndlng mlsslon, P8C members found LhaL around half a dozen famllles of Lhe
Ahmadlyya communlLy llved ln 172/1uA, and had done so peacefully for many years. Powever earller
LhaL year Lhe prlnclpal of Lhe vlllage's Superlor Academy had recelved permlsslon from Lhe prayer
leader aL Culzar-e-Madlna mosque for Lhe Ahmadl sLudenLs Lo offer prayers Lhere. WlLhln a week a
vlllager, Caslm Shahbaz (employed by Lhe local governmenL hlgh school) had ob[ecLed and obsLrucLed
Lhe sLudenLs, and Lhey had noL reLurned. ApproxlmaLely Len days afLer Lhls lncldenL Lhe blasphemy
complalnL was flled, lnsLlgaLed by Syed lqbal Shah, who ls a 'local lnfluenLlal and a relaLlve of a
naLlonal Assembly member from Lhe area' accordlng Lo Lhe facL flndlng reporL, who 'preferred Lo
belleve Lhe verslon of Lhe local resldenLs who back hls famlly ln Lhe elecLlons.' 1he reporL Lhen
emphaslses LhaL Lhe Ahmadl mlnorlLy members are noL reglsLered as voLers.
194
ln lLs concludlng paragraphs Lhls reporL laLer noLes LhaL a press conference held by Lhe complalnanL
and hls supporLers from varlous lllegal rellglous organlsaLlons, 'shows LhaL undue lnfluence was
exerLed by rellglous and pollLlcal elemenLs Lo pressure Lhe pollce lnLo reglsLerlng a case' and LhaL
'almosL all Lhe exLremlsLs urglng acLlon agalnsL Lhe Ahmadls are noL naLlves of Lhe vlllage'. nCCs
193 By written communication with the author oI this report.
194 As determined by the Conduct oI General Elections Order oI 2002,
http://www.nrb.gov.pk/publications/conductoIgeneralelections2002.pdI, Ahmadis must vote in a separate
electoral role that declares them non-Muslims`; many decline to do so.
- 51 -
reporLed LhaL aL leasL one of Lhe sLudenLs, MukhLar Ahmed, 13, fell lll wlLh Lyphold due Lo Lhe
condlLlons ln remand, and LhaL Lhe boys were denled vlslLs by famlly.
varlous medla reporLs clalmed LhaL Lhe Ahmadl populaLlon ln koL SulLan was besleged followlng Lhe
lncldenL, wlLh lndlvldual acLs of harassmenL, lnflammaLory posLers, calls ln Lhe communlLy for Lhelr
soclal and economlc boycoLL and publlc LhreaLs by exLremlsLs groups of arson of Ahmadl homes. Asma
!ahanglr, former unlLed naLlons Speclal 8apporLeur on freedom of rellglon and, aL Lhe Llme, Chalr of
Lhe Puman 8lghLs Commlsslon of aklsLan, descrlbed Lhe arresLs as 'helnous.'
193

1he case ls a clear example of Lhe exLenL Lo whlch law enforcemenL and Lhe [udlclal process can be
held hosLage, weakened and warped by rellglous and pollLlcal aglLaLors ln aklsLan. 8lasphemy laws
here remaln a Lool for Lhose who wlsh Lo lnflame eLhnlc Lenslon and persecuLe mlnorlLles, ofLen for
Lhelr own ends, and aklsLan's own hlsLory of uslng Lhe blasphemy laws agalnsL Ahmadls ls well
esLabllshed. lor a law LhaL carrles a deaLh penalLy Lhls ls of parLlcularly deep concern. As noLed by
Ahmadl news CuLleL, 1be AbmoJlyo 1lmes:
[.] successlve democraLlcally elecLed governmenLs have falled Lo respond Lo Lhe
naLlonwlde persecuLlon of mlnorlLles. Slnce comlng Lo power ln 2008, Lhe currenL aklsLan
eople's arLy () governmenL has announced on Lhree occaslons LhaL Lhe blasphemy
laws wlll be reformed. lL was only afLer Lhe Lahore aLLacks agalnsL Ahmadls LhaL
pollLlclans began drafLlng leglslaLlon LhaL called for harsh punlLlve measures agalnsL Lhose
who accuse oLhers of blasphemy wlLhouL sound proof. 1hough welcome, such leglslaLlon ls
a dlsappolnLlng remlnder LhaL more radlcal changes Lo Lhe consLlLuLlon, whlch are needed,
wlll noL be effecLed ln Lhe foreseeable fuLure.
196
Such laws ln an apparenLly lll regulaLed sysLem can afford no effecLlve naLlonal proLecLlon for
vulnerable persons, and no rellable safeguards oLher Lhan Lhe repeal of Lhe laws Lhemselves. As noLed
ln Lhe concluslon, Lhe laws agaln prove conLrary Lo aklsLan's obllgaLlons Lo proLecL vulnerable persons
under varlous LreaLles and obllgaLlons under lnLernaLlonal law.
195 Alpha Trade Finance, Children Charged Ior Blasphemy as the persecution oI Ahmadis in Pakistan Escalates`, 3
February 2010, http://www.ahrchk.net/ahrc-in-news/mainIile.php/2009ahrcinnews/2508/.
196 Ahmadiya Times, Faith and common sense: Pakistan's blasphemy laws need reIorming`, 30 June 2010,
http://ahmadiyyatimes.blogspot.com/2010/06/Iaith-and-common-sense-pakistans.html.
- 52 -
L. 1he case of Naushad Va|yan|
Musllm docLor, naushad valyanl, was arresLed on charges of commlLLlng blasphemy on 10 uecember
by pollce from CanLL pollce sLaLlon ln Pyderabad, Slndh provlnce. Accordlng Lo Lhe AP8C, valyanl was
worklng ln hls surgery on 9 uecember when he was accused of blasphemy by Mohammad lalzan, a
medlcal represenLaLlve of flzer harmaceuLlcals. ln reporLlng Lhe docLor's accounL of Lhe lncldenL Lhe
AP8C relaLes LhaL, slnce Lhe docLor was recelvlng paLlenLs and could noL enLerLaln Lhe vlslLor aL Lhe
Llme, he placed hls buslness card ln a box beslde hls desk, however lalzan lefL Lhe offlce and shouLed
LhaL Lhe docLor had commlLLed blasphemy, slnce Lhe name of Lhe ropheL was wrlLLen on Lhe buslness
card and Lhe docLor had Lhrown lL ln Lhe rubblsh bln. Medla accounLs clalms LhaL lL ls Lhe
complalnanL's own name 'Mohammad' LhaL he referred Lo, raLher Lhan Lhere belng a speclflc menLlon
of Lhe ropheL on Lhe card. Accordlng Lo Lhe AP8C, wlLnesses aL Lhe scene were reporLedly saLlsfled
LhaL Lhe box was noL a rubblsh bln.
CLher local medla reporLs have lssued a varlaLlon of Lhls lncldenL, ln whlch lalzan flrsL lssued hls
blasphemy accusaLlons ln an lncldenL Lhe followlng day on hls reLurn Lo Lhe docLor's surgery wlLh
colleagues, whlch resulLed ln a 'vlolenL quarrel'.
197
1he AP8C reporLs LhaL Lhls group comprlsed medlcal
represenLaLlves from varlous local and mulLlnaLlonal pharmaceuLlcal companles, and LhaL Lhey held a
proLesL demandlng Lhe arresL of Lhe docLor on charges of blasphemy. 1he Commlsslon alleges LhaL Lhe
docLor was noL well-llked among Lhe represenLaLlves due Lo hls supporL of naLural remedles.
1he CanLL pollce complled wlLh Lhe proLesL demands, valyanl was arresLed and hls cllnlc cordoned off.
1he AP8C noLes LhaL Lhe pollce Lhen neglecLed Lo follow Lhe correcL legal procedure, or observe Lhe
safeguards wrlLLen lnLo Lhe blasphemy laws, wlLh a [unlor pollce offlcer (an AsslsLanL Sub lnspecLor of
ollce) raLher Lhan a Senlor SuperlnLendenL of ollce belng asslgned Lo lnvesLlgaLe Lhe case.
198
1he
complalnL under SecLlon 296-C of Lhe C, was publlcally supporLed by local rellglous leaders and, lf
convlcLed Lhe docLor would have faced a deaLh senLence.
199
Powever accordlng Lo Lhe CenLre lor
Legal Ald AsslsLance and SeLLlemenL (CLAAS),
200
Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon dld noL uncover evldence of
lnLenLlon Lo blaspheme and, Lhanks ln parL Lo pressure from clvll socleLy organlsaLlons, Lhe docLor was
197 Continental News, Pakistan`s Controversial Blasphemy Law Used Yet Again`, 21 December 2010,
http://continentalnews.net/christian-news/pakistanE28099s-controversial-blasphemy-law-used-yet-again-
4194.html.
198 Pakistan Daily Times, Blasphemy cases only aIter SP`s investigation`, 31 July 2004,
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/deIault.asp?pagestory31-7-2004pg717.
199 Karachi News.Net, Pakistan's archaic blasphemy laws claim doctor`, 13 December 2010,
http://www.karachinews.net/story/719217.
200 According to communications with Nadeem Anthony, Research OIIicer at CLAAS, http://claas.org.uk/blasphemy-
campaigns.aspx
- 53 -
released on 13 uecember 2010 and has reLurned Lo hls pracLlce.
1he case was clLed ln medla reporLs as anoLher example of Lhe lax, ludlcrous and selecLlve handllng of
blasphemy laws ln aklsLan, slnce Lhe complalnL was sub[ecL Lo an unreasonably broad lnLerpreLaLlon
of Lhe law, and clear personal moLlve. As noLed by varlous medla and human rlghLs commenLaLors, a
vasL proporLlon of Lhe counLry's men are called Mohammad and Lhe name ls prlnLed dally on lLems
LhaL are laLer dlscarded wlLhouL rellglous or legal consequence. 1he arresL of Lhe accused on such
Lenuous charges, wlLhouL evldence or a credlble lnvesLlgaLlon, vlolaLes hls rlghL Lo freedom from
arblLrary arresL under lnLernaLlonal law, as enshrlned ln Lhe lCC8. lL should be noLed LhaL ur. valyanl
ls from Lhe lsmalll Musllm communlLy, whlch ls a mlnorlLy rellglous secL of ShllLe orlgln,
201
and as a
member of a rellglous mlnorlLy he has rlghLs Lo be free from persecuLlon and all forms of harassmenL
(whlch would lnclude legal harassmenL), under boLh Lhe lCC8 and Lhe lCL8u.
3.1.S. Conc|us|on
Lach case sLudy above clearly demonsLraLes Lhe ways ln whlch laws LhaL crlmlnallse Lhe
defamaLlon of rellglon, when consldered ln pracLlce, sLand ln sLrong confllcL wlLh lnLernaLlonal human
rlghLs sLandards. As a parLy Lo Lhe lCC8, aklsLan ls obllged Lo uphold Lhe rlghL Lo free expresslon and
Lhe freedom of rellglon as deLalled ln SecLlon Cne, whlch lncludes Lhe poslLlve obllgaLlon Lo prevenL
rlghLs vlolaLlons, proLecL clLlzens from such vlolaLlons and Lo punlsh Lhose who carry ouL such
vlolaLlons. AlLhough Lhe sLaLe has made reservaLlons Lo ArLlcles 18 and 19, Lhese reservaLlons do noL
allow lL Lo go agalnsL Lhe purpose and splrlL of Lhe CovenanL.
As seen ln Lhe course of Lhese recenL cases, blasphemy laws are commonly mlsused as a Lool of
represslon: wheLher agalnsL Ahmadl sLudenLs who wlshed Lo worshlp ln a local mosque or a Musllm
docLor who wanLed Lo run hls pracLlce ln a parLlcular, leglLlmaLe way. 8y allowlng Lhese laws Lo be
llberally applled Lhe sLaLe ls falllng Lo uphold lLs poslLlve obllgaLlons. 8y falllng Lo provlde adequaLe
proLecLlon Lo vlcLlms and defendanLs and allowlng vlgllanLe acLlons Lo be carrled ouL wlLhouL
lnvesLlgaLlon or prosecuLlon, Lhe sLaLe appears Lo sancLlon Lhe vlolence. ln many of Lhese cases Lhe
slgnlflcanL malfuncLlonlng of Lhe law enforcemenL auLhorlLles led Lo Lhe arblLrary deLenLlon of Lhese
persons, whlch vlolaLes ArLlcle 9 of Lhe lCC8.
As parLy Lo Lhe lCL8u and accordlng Lo ArLlcle 20 of Lhe lCC8, aklsLan ls obllged Lo proLecL lLs
201 Fides News Agency, Blasphemy in a 'Irenzy: a Muslim doctor incriminated`, 15 December 2010, (Fides
describes itselI, in its website, as a missionary agency oI the order oI the Council Superior General oI the PontiIical
Society Ior the Propagation oI the Faith), http://www.Iides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews28008&laneng.
- 54 -
sub[ecLs from raclal or rellglous haLred. 1hls ls an obllgaLlon also enshrlned ln lLs own consLlLuLlon,
202
yeL cases of blasphemy are predomlnanLly and arblLrarlly Laken agalnsL mlnorlLy persons,
203
suggesLlng
a sysLemaLlc form of persecuLlon and legal harassmenL, waged by Lhe lower levels of Lhe sLaLe
hlerarchy and condoned by Lhe hlgher levels. 8aLher Lhan belng assessed and dlsmlssed ln Lhe lnlLlal
sLages of prosecuLlon (as provlded for by Lhe rarely-used 2004 amendmenL Lo crlmlnal procedure),
many such cases are overLurned aL Lhe hlghesL levels of Lhe [udlclary. Lach of Lhese has resulLed ln Lhe
LraumaLlsaLlon of Lhe accused (lncludlng Lhelr sub[ecLlon Lo exLreme physlcal danger), and Lhe wasLlng
of naLlonal resources. lndeed members of Lhe pollce force and Lhe lower [udlclary Lhemselves appear
Lo be suscepLlble Lo pre[udlces and pollLlcal lnLerference, whlch Lhrows sLrong doubL upon Lhe ablllLy
of Lhe [udlclal sysLem Lo falrly Lry such cases, many of whlch are meL wlLh Lhe deaLh penalLy.
204
1he
resulLs of Lhls sLudy make a sLrong case for Lhe repeal of Lhe laws and Lhelr replacemenL wlLh a
campalgn of educaLlonal programmes promoLlng rellglous Lolerance and freedom of expresslon.
202 As noted earlier in the section, Article 33 oI the Pakistan Constitution requires that the State shall discourage
parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian and provincial prejudices among the citizens.`
203 As covered in section 3.1.2
204 Though as noted in section 3.1.2, a judicial execution has yet to be carried out.
- 55 -
3.2. A|ger|a
3.2.1. Leg|s|at|on
Algerla has a populaLlon of 36 mllllon LhaL ls 99 percenL Sunnl Musllm.
203
1here are only
esLlmaLes of Lhe populaLlon LhaL belongs Lo oLher Musllms secLs, ChrlsLlans and !ews.
206
LsLlmaLes of
Lhe ChrlsLlan and !ewlsh populaLlon vary beLween 12,000 and 30,000.
207
lslam ls Lhe sLaLe rellglon of
Algerla as sLaLed ln Lhe preamble of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon, 'Algerla, belng a land of lslam, r.r', as well as ln
ArLlcle 2, 'lslam ls Lhe rellglon of Lhe sLaLe'. Lven so Lhe ConsLlLuLlon guaranLees ln lLs ArLlcle 36
freedom of rellglon ('lreedom of creed and oplnlon ls lnvlolable'). 'lreedom of expresslon and
assoclaLlon and meeLlng ls guaranLeed' by ArLlcle 41 of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon.
208
8lasphemy laws ln Algerlan
leglslaLlon can be found ln Lhree dlfferenL seLs of laws: ln Lhe Algerlan enal Code, ln Lhe lnformaLlon
Code of 1990 and ln Crdlnance 06-03 of 2006.
Art|c|e 144 b|s 2 of the ena| Code
1he relevanL ArLlcle of Lhe penal code ls ArLlcle 144 bls 2 whlch bans lnsulLs agalnsL lslam, Lhe ropheL
Mohammed or any of Lhe messengers of Cod or denlgraLlng Lhe dogma or precepLs of lslam.
209
1he
ArLlcle speclfles LhaL such lnsulLs can be commlLLed by wrlLlng, drawlng, or any oLher means.
210
1he
punlshmenL can be from Lhree Lo flve years of lmprlsonmenL and a flne of 30,000 Lo 100,000 Algerlan
dlnars ($ 670-1'340).
211
MosL blasphemy cases are broughL under Lhls provlslon.
212

Crd|nance 06-03 of 2006
Crdlnance 06-03 of 2006
213
(herelnafLer 'Lhe Crdlnance'), enforced slnce lebruary 2008,
214
regulaLes
205 US Department oI State, 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom -Algeria, p.1,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irI/2010/148812.htm.
206 Ibid.
207 Ibid.
208 The Constitution oI the oI the People`s Democratic Republic oI Algeria, Revised Constiution approved by the
ReIerendum oI November 28th, 1996, Translation undertaken by the services oI the Direction oI Documentation oI
the Constitutional Council, http://www.algeria-un.org/deIault.asp?doc-const.
209 Article 144 bis 2: Est puni d`un emprisonnement de trios (3) a cinq (5) ans et d`une amende de 50.000 DA a
100.000 DA, ou de l`une de ces peines seulement, quiconque oIIense le prophete (paix et salut soient sur lui) et les
envoyes de Dieu ou denigre le dogme ou les preceptes de l`Islam, que ce soit par voie d`ecrit, de dessin, de
declaration ou tout autre moyen. Les poursuites penales sont engagees d`oIIice par le ministere public.`Algerian
Penal Code oI 1979 (as amended by law no. 01-09 oI June 26, 2001),
http://www.droit.mjustice.dz/legislIrde06aujuil08/codepenalavecmod06.pdI.
210 Ibid.
211 Ibid.
212 Freedom House, Policing Belief the impact of Blasphemv laws on human rights, October 2010, page 13,
www.Ireedomhouse.org/uploads/specialreport/95.pdI.
213 Ordonnance n 06-03 du 29 Moharram 1427 correspondant au 28 Ievrier 2006 Iixant les conditions et regles
d'exercice des cultes autres que musulman (rectiIicatiI), http://collectiIalgerie.Iree.Ir/Ir/?pageid16. UnoIIicial
english translation Irom CollectiI Algerie - Pour la deIense des Croyants autres que musulmans en Algerie available
at: http://collectiIalgerie.Iree.Ir/english/?pageid4.
214 Department oI State, 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom -Algeria, p.2,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irI/2010/148812.htm.
- 56 -
rellglous assoclaLlons oLher Lhan lslam (ArLlcle 1). 1he Crdlnance provldes for Lhe freedom of pracLlslng
rellglons oLher Lhan lslam, ln Lhe scope provlded by Lhe Crdlnance, Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and oLher laws
and regulaLlons and provldes LhaL publlc order, morallLy, and Lhe rlghLs and baslc freedoms of oLhers
shall be respecLed (ArLlcle 2). 1he Crdlnance leglslaLes admlnlsLraLlve requlremenLs on non-Musllm
rellglous assoclaLlons, obllglng Lhem Lo reglsLer places of worshlp and llmlLlng worshlp Lo reglsLered
slLes. ArLlcle 11 of Lhe ordlnance prohlblLs proselyLlzlng among Musllms on behalf of oLher rellglons
and Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of maLerlals almed aL 'shaklng Lhe falLh of a Musllm'.
213
Accordlng Lo Algerlan governmenL offlclals Lhe Crdlnance ls deslgned Lo apply Lo non-Musllms Lhe
same consLralnLs LhaL Lhe penal code lmposes on Musllms. ln effecL Lhe Crdlnance and Lhe penal code
enable Lhe governmenL Lo shuL any lnformal rellglous servlce LhaL Lakes place ln prlvaLe homes or ln a
secluded ouLdoor seLLlng.
216
1he Informat|on Code of 1990
1he lnformaLlon Code of 1990 governs Lhe medla. ArLlcle 26 and ArLlcle 77 of Lhe code prohlblL
blasphemous publlcaLlons. ArLlcle 26 prohlblLs publlcaLlons LhaL are 'conLrary Lo lslamlc morals,
naLlonal values, human rlghLs'. ArLlcle 77 prohlblLs lnsulLs agalnsL lslam and oLher 'heavenly rellglons' -
LhaL ls ChrlsLlanlLy and !udalsm.
217
Powever, blasphemy cases based on ArLlcle 26 and or ArLlcle 77 of
Lhe lnformaLlon Code are noL known.
218

Internat|ona| treat|es
Algerla has raLlfled several of Lhe core lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs LreaLles. lL ls parLy Lo Lhe lCC8, Lhe
un ConvenLlon AgalnsL 1orLure, Lhe un ConvenLlon on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of All lorms of 8aclal
ulscrlmlnaLlon (lCL8u), ConvenLlon on Lhe LllmlnaLlon of All lorms of ulscrlmlnaLlon AgalnsL Women
(CLuAW) and Lhe ConvenLlon on Lhe 8lghLs of Lhe Chlld (C8C).
219
Algerla also holds a seaL on Lhe un
215 Art . 11: Sans prejudice des peines plus graves, est puni d`un emprisonnement de deux (2) ans a cinq (5) ans et
d`une amende de 500.000 DA a 1.000.000 DA quiconque :
1 - incite, contraint ou utilise des moyens de seduction tendant a convertir un musulman a une autre religion, ou en
utilisant a cette Iin des etablissements d`enseignement, d`education, de sante, a caractere social ou culturel, ou
institutions de Iormation, ou tout autre etablissement, ou tout moyen Iinancier,
2 - Iabrique, entrepose, ou distribue des documents imprimes ou metrages audiovisuels ou par tout autre support ou
moyen qui visent a ebranler la Ioi d`un musulman.`
Ordonnance n 06-03 du 29 Moharram 1427 correspondant au 28 Ievrier 2006 Iixant les conditions et regles
d'exercice des cultes autres que musulman (rectiIicatiI), http://collectiIalgerie.Iree.Ir/Ir/?pageid16.
216 US Department oI State, 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom -Algeria, p.2,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irI/2010/148812.htm.
217 Freedom House, Policing Belief the impact of Blasphemv laws on human rights, October 2010, page 13,
www.Ireedomhouse.org/uploads/specialreport/95.pdI.
218 Freedom House, Policing Belief the impact of Blasphemv laws on human rights, October 2010, page 95,
www.Ireedomhouse.org/uploads/specialreport/95.pdI.
219 HRC, 26 March 2008, A/HRC/WG.6/1/DZA/2.
- 57 -
Puman 8lghLs CommlLLee, whose members have Lo commlL Lo uphold and proLecL human rlghLs.
220
3.2.2 Cases
1he followlng cases lllusLraLe how Lhe Algerlan blasphemy leglslaLlon vlolaLes Lhe sLaLe's
ConsLlLuLlon as well as lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs sLandards.
221
1he maln underlylng reason for Lhls ls
Lhe vague Lermlnology of Algerla's blasphemy leglslaLlon, LhaL allows pollce offlclals and [udges Lo
lmpose Lhelr own rellglous perspecLlve on socleLy, and Lo glve Lhelr verslon of lslamlc pracLlce Lhe
force of law.
222

A. 1he case of noc|n| and Ie||ak
Poclne Poclnl and Salem lellak were arresLed on 13 AugusL 2010 for breaklng Lhe fasL durlng
Lhe holy monLh of 8amadan.
223
Poclnl and lellak boLh converLed Lo ChrlsLlanlLy, Poclnl ln 2002 and
lellak ln 2009.
224
1he accused were Laklng a break and eaLlng on Lhe consLrucLlon slLe ln Aln Ll-
Pammam, where Lhey boLh work, when Lhe pollce arresLed Lhem.
223
AL Lhe ollce sLaLlon ln Aln Ll-
Pammam Lhey were lnLerrogaLed abouL breaklng Lhe 8amadan fasL.
226
When broughL before Lhe
depuLy prosecuLor Poclnl and lellak explalned LhaL Lhey were ChrlsLlans and Lherefore do noL observe
8amadan. Poclnl and lellak reporLed Lo AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal LhaL Lhe depuLy prosecuLor sLaLed LhaL
Algerla ls a Musllm counLry, and LhaL ChrlsLlans should go Lo Lurope, and Lherefore quesLloned how
Lhe men could be boLh Algerlan and ChrlsLlan aL Lhe same Llme.
227
Cn 26 SepLember 2010 Lhe
prosecuLlon demanded a senLence for boLh men of Lhree years ln prlson because of 'LhreaLenlng Lhe
precepLs of lslam'
228
on Lhe bases of ArLlcle 144 bls 2 penal code.
229
AL Lhe Lrlal on 3 CcLober 2010 boLh
220 OHCHR, Human Rights Committee Members, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/members.htm.
221 Very limited inIormation on cases is available and most oI the English resources reIer back to the Report on
International Religious Freedom which is published annually by the US Department oI State,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/irI/rpt/index.htm.
222 Freedom House, October 2010, Policing Belief the impact of Blasphemv laws on human rights, p. 15-16,
www.Ireedomhouse.org/uploads/specialreport/95.pdI.
223 ABC news, Christians tried Ior breaking Ramadan Iast`, 22.09.2010,
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/22/3018315.htm.
224 Amnesty International, Public Statement, ` Algeria: Drop charges against men accused oI breaking Ramadan Iast`,
1.10.2010, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/inIo/MDE28/011/2010/en
225 Spiegel Online, Christlichen Fastenbrechern droht mehrjhrige HaItstraIe`, 21.09.2010,
http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/gesellschaIt/0,1518,718782,00.html.
226 Amnesty International, Public Statment, Algeria: Drop charges against men accused oI breaking Ramadan Iast`,
1.10.2010, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/inIo/MDE28/011/2010/en.
227 Ibid.
228 ont porte atteinte aux preceptes de l`Islam`, El-Watan, Le relaxe pour les non - jeneurs de Ain El Hammam: La
mobilisation a triomphe`, 6.10.10, http://www.elwatan.com/actualite/la-mobilisation-a-triomphe-06-10-2010-
93406109.php.
229 El-Watan, Le relaxe pour les non - jeneurs de Ain El Hammam: La mobilisation a triomphe`, 6.10.10,
http://www.elwatan.com/actualite/la-mobilisation-a-triomphe-06-10-2010-93406109.php.
- 58 -
men were acqulLLed.
230

1hls very recenL case exempllfles how Lhe vague wordlng of ArLlcle 144 bls 2 penal code can lead Lo Lhe
arblLrary lmposlLlon of lndlvldual lnLerpreLaLlon of Lhe law on Lhe parL of pollce offlclals and
prosecuLlon offlclals. lnLerpreLlng Lhe breaklng of Lhe 8amadan fasL, noLably by Lwo ChrlsLlans, as
'LhreaLenlng Lhe precepLs of lslam' ls noL wlLhln an accepLable scope of ArLlcle 144 bls 2 penal code, as
afflrmed by Lhe acqulLLal of boLh men. Lven lf Lhe Lwo men were Musllm, Lhere ls no speclflc provlslon
ln Lhe Algerlan leglslaLlon LhaL LhaL crlmlnallses noL fasLlng.
231
1hls pracLlce vlolaLes Algerla's
consLlLuLlon LhaL granLs freedom of rellglon ln lLs ArLlcle 36 as well as Lhelr lnLernaLlonal human rlghLs
obllgaLlons under ArLlcle 18 lCC8. 1he reporLed remark by Lhe depuLy prosecuLor consLlLuLes an
addlLlonal vlolaLlon of Lhe freedom of rellglon.
8. 1he case of D[am||a Sa|h| and her cous|n
Cn 9 SepLember 2009 Lhe Algerlan newspaper l-wotoo reporLed Lhe followlng sLory.
232
u[amlla Salhl and her male cousln were eaLlng a sandwlch ln Lhelr car durlng Lhe 8amadan whlle
parklng ln 8en Aknoun on 1 SepLember 2009 when Lwo pollcemen ln clvlllan dress approached Lhem.
1he pollcemen quesLloned Lhem abouL Lhelr rellglon, Lhey are boLh Musllm, and subsequenLly asked
Salhl and her cousln Lo accompany Lhem Lo Lhe pollce sLaLlon ln urarla ln order Lo verlfy Lhelr
ldenLlLy.
233
AL Lhe pollce sLaLlon Lhe pollcemen reporLedly flrsL Lrled Lo make Lhem admlL Lo drlnklng
alcohol ln Lhe car. SubsequenLly Lhe pollcemen changed Lhelr mlnd and accused Lhem of eaLlng ln
publlc ln Lhe presence of pedesLrlans. 1he pollce commanded Salhl Lo slgn a sLaLemenL ln Lhls regard ln
Arablc, a language she does noL know how Lo speak and wrlLe. Salhl and her cousln had Lo undergo a
medlcal exam and spend Lhe nlghL aL Lhe pollce sLaLlon. ln Lhe mornlng of 3 SepLember 2009 Lhe
couslns were broughL ln handcuffs Lo Lhe dlsLrlcL aLLorney. 1he dlsLrlcL aLLorney charged Lhem on Lhe
bases of ArLlcle 144 bls 2 because of 'denlgraLlng Lhe dogma or precepLs of lslam'
234
and ordered Lhelr
Lransfer Lo Lhe Ll Parrach prlson. AL Ll Parrach prlson Salhl had Lo spend Lhe nlghL on Lhe floor because
Lhere was no free bed ln Lhe women's secLlon. ln Lhe nlghL of 3 SepLember Salhl and her cousln were
unexpecLedly released afLer Lhe lnLervenLlon of a 'senlor offlclal', all charges were dropped and Lhe
230 Ibid.
231 Freedom House, Policing Belief the impact of Blasphemv laws on human rights, October 2010, page 17,
www.Ireedomhouse.org/uploads/specialreport/95.pdI.
232 El-Watan, Pour avoir ,mange' pendant la journee du ramadhan, deux jeunes incarceres puis remis en
liberte`,7.09.2009, http://www.elwatan.com/archives/article.php?id136871.
233 Ibid.
234 denigrement du dogme et des preceptes de l'Islam`, Ibid.
- 59 -
case was effecLlvely erased from pollce flles.
233
Whlle Salhl and her cousln were formally arresLed and
charged before belng moved Lo Lhe prlson, Lhelr release dld noL Lake place ln a formal procedure.
236
As ouLllne ln Lhe case of Poclnl and lellake, Lhe Algerlan law does noL hold a provlslon LhaL crlmlnallzes
noL fasLlng durlng Lhe holy monLh of 8amadan. LaLlng durlng dayLlme ln 8amadan ls also noL a crlmlnal
offence under ArLlcle 144 bls 2 penal code. 1hus no legal bases exlsLed for Lhe arresL and subsequenL
charges of Salhl and her cousln. Pence Lhelr rlghL Lo legallLy granLed by ArLlcle 46 of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
and by ArLlcle 13 lCC8, has been vlolaLed. 1hls case furLher lllusLraLed how accusaLlons of blasphemy
can lead Lo Lhe vlolaLlon of Lhe rlghL Lo due process. ArLlcle 14 (3a) granLs Lhe rlghL Lo Lhe defendanL Lo
be lnformed ln a language LhaL he undersLands of Lhe naLure and Lhe cause of Lhe charges agalnsL hlm.
Salhl was pressured lnLo slgnlng a sLaLemenL, of whlch Lhe conLenL dld noL glve Lhe correcL accounL of
Lhe lncldenL and was ln Arablc, a language LhaL Salhl does noL masLer. 1hls ls a clear vlolaLlon of Lhe
rlghL Lo due process by ArLlcle 14 lCC8.

C. 1he case of 8ouderba|a and 8ousad
8erkane 8ouderbala, Lhe edlLor of Lhe weekly ssoflt and lLs rellglous supplemenL ttlsolo was
arresLed on 11 lebruary 2006 and kamal 8ousad, Lhe dlrecLor of Lhe weekly loootomo, was arresLed
on 8 lebruary 2006 afLer reprlnLlng Lhe conLroverslal uanlsh CarLoons deplcLlng Lhe propheL
Muhammad.
237
1he arresL was based on ArLlcle 144 bls 2 penal code and came abouL subsequenL Lo
Lhe complalnL of Lhe MlnlsLry of CommunlcaLlons.
238
1hey were held aL Lhe Serkad[l prlson ln Alglers
unLll Lhelr release on March 13 2006, when Lhe charges agalnsL boLh man were dropped.
239
8oLh
publlcaLlons were Lemporarlly shuL down. Slmllar cases Look place ln Malaysla
240
and ?emen
subsequenL Lo Lhe reprlnLlng of Lhe carLoons.
241
lreedom of expresslon ls a core human rlghL and has been vlolaLed gravely ln Lhls case. lL ls necessary
235 Freedom House, Policing Belief the impact of Blasphemv laws on human rights, October 2010, page 18,
www.Ireedomhouse.org/uploads/specialreport/95.pdI.
236 Ibid.
237 Human Rights Watch, Cartoon Controversy: Drop Criminal Charges Ior Publication`, 15.2.2006,
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2006/02/15/cartoon-controversy-drop-criminal-charges-publication.
238 El-Watan, Apres la publication de dessins oIIensant le propheete: Deux directeurs de jounaux mis sous mandat de
depot`, 12.2.2006,, http://www.elwatan.com/archives/article.php?id36175.
239 Reporters Without Borders, Editors oI Errissala and EssaIir Ireed`, 16.3.2006 ,http://en.rsI.org/algeria-editors-oI-
errissala-and-essaIir-16-03-2006,16776.html; US Department oI State, 2006 Report on International Religious
Freedom- Algeria, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78849.htm.
240 BBC, Islam-West divide grows deeper`, 10 February 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-
paciIic/4699716.stm.
241 GulInews, Yemen court Iines journalist over abusive cartoons`, 7 December 2006,
http://gulInews.com/news/gulI/yemen/yemen-court-Iines-journalist-over-abusive-cartoons-1.269824.
- 60 -
Lo proLecL Lhe exerclse of all oLher human rlghLs, because lL ls essenLlal for holdlng governmenLs
accounLable Lo Lhe publlc.
242
1he reprlnLlng of Lhe uanlsh CarLoons does noL fall wlLhln Lhe scope of
llmlLaLlon of ArLlcle 19 (3) lCC8 and nelLher ls lL lnclLemenL Lo haLred and Lherefore noL prohlblLed by
ArLlcle 20 lCC8.
243
D. 1he cases of kach|d Segh|r
ChrlsLlan converL 8achld Seghlr has been charged and Lrled Lhree Llmes for rellglous offences
under ArLlcle 144 bls enal Code and ordlnance 06-03. 1ogeLher wlLh anoLher converL, ?oussef
Curahmane, Seghlr was charged ln lebruary 2008 under Crdlnance 06-03 for 'blasphemlng Lhe name
of Lhe ropheL and lslam.'
244
ln november 2007 Seghlr and u[ammal uahmanl were charged wlLh
proselyLlzlng and lllegally pracLlslng a non-Musllm falLh and senLenced ln absenLla Lo Lwo years ln
prlson and flnes of 300,000 dlnars ($6,800) by courL ln 1lssemsllL. ln !uly 2008 ln Lhe reLrlal when boLh
men appeared ln fronL of courL Lhe senLences were reduced Lo a prlson senLence of slx monLhs
suspended and flnes of 100,000 dlnars ($1,360) on Lhe bases of Lhe same charges.
243

Seghlr was also convlcLed ln a separaLe Lrlal ln 1lareL ln !une 2008. Pe was charged wlLh proselyLlzlng
and lllegally pracLlclng a non-Musllm falLh and senLenced Lo slx monLhs suspended prlson senLence
and a flne of 200,000 dlnars ($ 2,720).
246

3.2.3 Conc|us|on
1he ouLllned cases lllusLraLe how Lhe Algerlan blasphemy leglslaLlon vlolaLes lnLernaLlonal
human rlghLs law as well as Algerla's own consLlLuLlon. 1he vague Lermlnology of ArLlcle 144 bls of Lhe
enal Code leads Lo selecLlve, arblLrary or dlscrlmlnaLory enforcemenL. Lven Lhough mosL ouLllned
cases flnally lead Lo an acqulLLal, such unsuccessful legal acLlon can encourage a socleLy Lo self-
censorshlp. 1he blasphemy arLlcle of Lhe penal code ln lLself ls dlscrlmlnaLory, boLh ln effecL and
conLenL. lL only proLecLs lslam and lslamlc rellglous flgures from lnsulL. 1he Algerlan leglslaLlon does
noL provlde Lhe same proLecLlon for oLher rellglons.
Compared Lo oLher counLrles such as for example aklsLan, Algerla's blasphemy laws are noL as sLrlcLly
242 Human Rights Watch, Questions and Answers on the Danish Cartoons and Freedom oI Expression`, 15 February
2006, http://www.hrw.org/legacy/english/docs/2006/02/15/denmar12676txt.htm.
243 Ibid.; likewise Agns Callamard, executive director of Article 19 in the Guardian Unlimited, Prophetic
fallacy, 2 February 2006, http://www.article19.org/pdfs/publications/guardian-piece-on-cartoons.pdf.
244 US Department oI State, 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom- Algeria, p.6,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irI/2010/148812.htm.
245 Ibid.
246 Ibid.
- 61 -
applled, punlshmenLs are noL as harsh and Lhere are relaLlvely few cases. neverLheless Algerla ls a
helpful example for Lhe lnLernaLlonal communlLy Lo undersLand Lhe lmpacL of blasphemy law on
human rlghLs, Lhe rule of law and socleLy as a whole. 1hls should sLand for an example of rlsks of an
adopLlon of Lhe concepL of defamaLlon of rellglons.
- 62 -
3.3. 1he Syr|an Arab kepub||c
1he Syrlan Arab 8epubllc (Syrla) ls a mulLl eLhnlc and rellglous sLaLe LhaL does noL pursue a
cerLaln sLaLe rellglon.
247
lor Lhe pasL flve decades power has been conflned Lo Lhe mlnorlLy AlawlLe
secL.
248
AfLer Lhe 8a'aLh parLy selzed power ln 1963, Lhe counLry was ruled by AlawlLe resldenL Pafez
al-Assad from 1970 unLll hls deaLh ln 2000 when power was Lransferred Lo hls son 8ashar al-Assad.
8enowned for lLs rellglous llberal and secular characLer ln comparlson Lo oLher ClC member sLaLes,
Syrla's record of lnhumane pracLlses applled agalnsL opposlLlon groups ls sub[ecL Lo sLrong crlLlclsm
volced by lnLernaLlonal and local human rlghLs organlsaLlons as well as un reporLs. uesplLe Lhe facL
LhaL no parLlcular sLaLe rellglon ls declared ln Syrla and nelLher does Lhe leglslaLlon promoLe any
blasphemy laws, Lhe lmposlLlon of harsh resLrlcLlons on Lhe general rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon and
oplnlon has also had severe lmpacLs on cerLaln rellglous groups.
249

ulscrlmlnaLory norms exerclsed by Lhe sLaLe are dlrecLed agalnsL any group or lndlvldual LhaL crlLlclses
Lhe credlblllLy of Lhe governmenL. 1hose alleged perpeLraLors are usually charged for LhreaLenlng
publlc order and/or lnclLemenL Lo secLarlan unresL, malnly expressed ln form of advocaLlng cerLaln
rellglous and eLhnlc mlnorlLy rlghLs. ln Lhe pasL alleged members of so called opposlLlon groups have
become sub[ecL Lo long-Lerm arresLs, unfalr Lrlals and ln many cases LorLure. Croups speclflcally
monlLored and LargeLed by Lhe sLaLe lnclude human rlghLs defenders, Lhe kurdlsh populaLlon as well as
members of banned pollLlcal and cerLaln rellglous groups. 1hose belonglng Lo lslamlc groups such as
Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood and Lhe SalaflsL movemenL are parLlcularly LargeLed. !ehovah's WlLnesses ls
Lhe only rellglon ouLlawed ln Syrla as Lhey are belleved Lo promoLe ZlonlsL ldeologles.
230
1hose
percelved as enemles of Lhe sLaLe are prosecuLed by a speclal courL - Lhe Supreme SLaLe SecurlLy CourL
247 Minority Rights Group International, country proIile Syria, http://www.minorityrights.org/5266/syria/syria-
overview.html: Main religions: Sunni Islam (74), Alawi Islam (11), other Muslim (including Ismaili and
Ithna'ashari or Twelver Shia) (2), Christianity (including Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Maronite, Syrian
Catholic, Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic) (10), Druze (3). Main minority groups: Alawi Muslims 2.1
million (11), Christians oI various denominations 1.9 million (10), Iraqi reIugees 1.5 - 2 million (7.8 - 10.4),
Kurds 1.5 million (7.8), Druze 580,000 (3), Palestinians 442,000 (2.3), Isma'ilis and Ithna'ashari or Twelver
Shia 386,000 (2), Armenians 323,000 (1.7).
248 UK Border Agency/Home OIIice, Operational Guidance Note, February 2009, para 3.8.2: The Alawis (Alawite)
minority in Syria practise a Iorm oI Islam that started in the 9th century by splintering oII Irom the Shiite branch and
integrates doctrines Irom other religions; pagan, agnostic and particularly Christian. Alawi literally means "those
who adhere to the teachings oI Ali," the son-in-law oI the Prophet Muhammad. Syria's three-quarters majority Sunni
population considers the Alawi to be heretical because oI their belieI that Ali is Muhammed`s successor and their
rejection oI traditional Islamic restrictions. Yet, the Alawi domination oI the government, the Ba`ath party, key
military positions, resources, and national wealth, have preserved their power since 1970 with HaIez al- Assad's
successIul coup`.
249 The Institute on Religion and Public Policy, Religious Freedom in Syria`, 07 July 2009,
http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?optioncomcontent&taskview&id3881&Itemid99999999.
250 UK Border Agency/Home OIIice, Operational Guidance Note, February 2009.
- 63 -
(SSSC, Mobkomo Amo ol-uowlo ol-ullyyo) LhaL ls exempLed from rules of procedure followed by
regular courLs. 8eporLs by human rlghLs organlsaLlons esLlmaLe LhaL hundreds of cases are Lrled each
year by Lhe SSSC, wlLh a ma[orlLy of Lhose prosecuLed allegedly belong Lo radlcal lslamlsL
movemenLs.
231
1he followlng secLlon on Syrla wlll dlscuss how laws and resLrlcLlons on freedom of expresslon and
bellef are abused by Lhe Syrlan sLaLe ln order Lo sllence opposlLlon groups. lor Lhe purpose of Lhls
research paper, an excluslve focus wlll be Laken on groups LargeLed due Lo Lhelr rellglous ldeologles
and llnks Lo prohlblLed rellglous groups. lL should however be noLed LhaL hundreds of kurds, human
rlghLs defenders and pollLlcal opposlLlon groups are also under consLanL LhreaL of Lhelr llves and
freedoms.
3.3.1. Leg|s|at|on
1he Lwo maln legal documenLs guaranLeelng rellglous freedoms and seLLlng lLs llmlLs are found
ln Lhe sLaLe's ConsLlLuLlon of 13 March 1973 and enal Code. 1he ongolng sLaLe of emergency
proclalmed ln 1962, LogeLher wlLh Lhe lmplemenLaLlon of speclal Law no. 49 ln 1980 (see secLlon
3.3.2.), have slgnlflcanLly lmpacLed Lhe rlghLs and freedoms enshrlned ln Lhe leglslaLlon by granLlng
securlLy forces almosL full lmpunlLy from [udlclal auLhorlLy Lo persecuLe mlnorlLy groups, lncludlng
cerLaln rellglous groups.
1he Const|tut|on
ArLlcle 3 (lslam) lays ouL Lhe rellglous characLer of Lhe sLaLe by proclalmlng LhaL 'Lhe rellglon of Lhe
resldenL of Lhe 8epubllc has Lo be lslam' and 'lslamlc [urlsprudence ls Lhe maln source of
leglslaLlon.'
232
ArLlcle 28 (uefence) enshrlnes Lhe prlnclple of lnnocence, guaranLeelng LhaL 'every defendanL ls
presumed lnnocenL unLll proven gullLy by a flnal [udlclal declslon and no one may be kepL under
survelllance or deLalned excepL ln accordance wlLh Lhe law.' lL furLher seLs ouL LhaL 'no one may be
LorLured physlcally or menLally or be LreaLed ln a humlllaLlng manner. 1he law deflnes Lhe punlshmenL
of whoever commlLs such an acL.' LasLly lL also ensures Lhe rlghL Lo falr Lrlal by sLlpulaLlng 'Lhe rlghL of
251 Human Rights Watch, No Room to Breathe State Repression oI Human Rights Activism in Syria`, October 2007,
Volume 19, No. 6(E).
252 Middle East InIormation Network, http://www.mideastinIo.com/documents/SyriaConstitution.htm.
- 64 -
llLlgaLlon, conLesL, and defence before Lhe [udlclary ls safeguarded by Lhe law.'
233
ArLlcle 33 (8ellglon) proclalms freedom of all rellglons and bellef, sLlpulaLlng LhaL 'Lhe freedom of falLh
ls guaranLeed. 8especL for all rellglons ls provlded'. lL furLher holds LhaL Lhe sLaLe guaranLees 'Lhe
freedom Lo hold any rellglous rlLes, provlded Lhey do noL dlsLurb Lhe publlc order.'
234
ArLlcle 38 (Lxpresslon) guaranLees Lhe rlghL of every clLlzen Lo 'freely and openly express hls vlews ln
words, ln wrlLlng, and Lhrough all oLher means of expresslon. Pe also has Lhe rlghL Lo parLlclpaLe ln
supervlslon and consLrucLlve crlLlclsm ln a manner LhaL safeguards Lhe soundness of Lhe domesLlc and
naLlonallsL sLrucLure and sLrengLhens Lhe soclallsL sysLem. 1he sLaLe guaranLees Lhe freedom of Lhe
press, of prlnLlng, and publlcaLlon ln accordance wlLh Lhe law'.
233
ArLlcle 39 (Assembly) enshrlnes LhaL 'ClLlzens have Lhe rlghL Lo meeL and demonsLraLe peacefully
wlLhln Lhe prlnclples of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon. 1he law regulaLes Lhe exerclse of Lhls rlghL.'
236
1he ena| Code
ArLlcle 278 prescrlbes Lemporary deLenLlon for:

1. 'Anyone who conLravenes measures Laken by Lhe SLaLe Lo preserve lLs neuLrallLy ln Llme
of war.
2. Anyone who, by engaglng ln acLs or maklng wrlLLen or spoken sLaLemenLs noL auLhorlzed
by Lhe CovernmenL, exposes Syrla Lo Lhe rlsk of acLs of aggresslon, dlsrupLs lLs relaLlons
wlLh forelgn SLaLes or exposes Syrlans Lo reprlsals agalnsL Lhelr person or Lhelr
properLy'.
237
ArLlcle 283. 'Anyone ln Syrla who, durlng Llmes of war or ln anLlclpaLlon of war, makes allegaLlons LhaL
weaken naLlonal senLlmenL or lnclLe raclal or secLarlan sLrlfe wlll be punlshed wlLh lmprlsonmenL'.
238
ArLlcle 307. 'SLlpulaLes LhaL any deeds commlLLed, wrlLlngs composed, or speeches held wlLh Lhe
lnLenLlon of lnclLlng secLarlan or raclal sLrlfe or provoklng confllcL beLween Lhe rellglons and Lhe
varlous members of Lhe naLlon wlll be condemned Lo prlson for beLween slx monLhs and Lwo years,
253 Ibid.
254 Ibid.
255 Ibid.
256 Ibid.
257 Human Rights Watch, Far Irom Justice Syria's Supreme State Security Court, February 2009, p.32.
258 Kurd Watch, Syrian Penal code, http://www.kurdwatch.org/index.php?cid184
- 65 -
flned beLween 100 and 200 llras'.
239
ArLlcle 308. 'rescrlbes Lhe same punlshmenL for any person belonglng Lo an assoclaLlon esLabllshed
for Lhe purpose referred Lo ln ArLlcle 38 wlll recelve Lhe same penalLy'.
260
ArLlcle 462 'SLlpulaLes LhaL any acL LhaL ls llkely Lo prevenL a Syrlan from exerclslng hls clvll rlghLs or
fulfllllng hls clvll obllgaLlons shall be punlshable by deLenLlon for a Lerm of one monLh Lo one year'.
261
Internat|ona| 1reat|es
As a foundlng member of Lhe un, Syrla ls parLy Lo a number of lnLernaLlonal LreaLles. Cn 21 Aprll 1969
Syrla raLlfled boLh Lhe lCC8 and lCL8u, buL has noL slgned any of Lhe CpLlonal roLocols Lo Lhe lCC8.
Syrla ls parLy Lo Lhe CLuAW and has also slgned ln 2004 Lhe ConvenLlon agalnsL 1orLure and CLher
Cruel, lnhumane or uegradlng 1reaLmenL or unlshmenL, buL has noL slgned Lhe CpLlonal roLocol.
262
3.3.2. Imp|ementat|on
uesplLe Lhe facL LhaL ArLlcle 3 of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lays ouL Lhe lslamlc characLer of Lhe law, ArLlcle 33
guaranLees Lhe rlghL of all rellglons Lo pracLlce Lhelr falLh freely under Lhe condlLlon of noL dlsLurblng
publlc order. As dlscussed below however, under Lhe preLexL of safeguardlng publlc order, a range of
baslc clvll rlghLs such as freedom of expresslon and assembly are severely- and ofLen vlolenLly
repressed by Syrlan auLhorlLles LargeLlng any sLaLe dlssldenLs, lncludlng cerLaln rellglous mlnorlLy
groups.
|. Lmergency Law
Cn 22 uecember 1962 Syrla lmposed emergency law, whlch was amended by uecree-Law no.1 of 9
March 1963 and supplemenLed by marLlal laws sLlpulaLed ln MlllLary LeglslaLlon no. 2.
263
1he sLaLe of
emergency ls ln place unLll Loday, whlch leglLlmlses severe consLralns on clvll and pollLlcal rlghLs, and
also guaranLees accordlng Lo LeglslaLlve uecree no. 61 (1930) and addlLlonal uecree no. 69 of
SepLember 2008 lmpunlLy agalnsL prosecuLlon of any human rlghLs vlolaLlon commlLLed by sLaLe
offlclals.
264
1he draconlan law of emergency provldes Lhe governmenL's securlLy apparaLus full
259 Ibid.
260 Ibid.
261 CCPR/C/SYR/2004/3, 19 October 2004, para 42, p.14.
262 Arab Human Rights Index, International Human Rights Treaties: Syria,
http://www.arabhumanrights.org/en/countries/ratiIication.aspx?cid19
263 Alkarama, Syria: The Permanent State oI Emergency A Breeding Ground Ior Torture`, 09 April 2010;
264 Amnesty International, Syria BrieIing to the Committee Against Torture`, 2010, p.11, London, UK.
- 66 -
auLhorlLy Lo lssue arresL orders agalnsL anyone consldered a LhreaL Lo Lhe sLaLe wlLhouL havlng Lo
provlde any reasonable evldence of Lhe alleged crlme.
263
Whlle Syrla conLlnues Lo defend lLs need Lo
uphold a sLaLe of emergency due Lhe perslsLenL LhreaL posed by lsrael's occupaLlon of parL of Syrla's
LerrlLory and Lhe ublqulLous LhreaL of lLs expanslon, Lhe lnLernaLlonal communlLy has repeaLedly called
on Syrla Lo lmmedlaLely rellnqulsh lLs sLaLe of emergency.
266
Accordlng Lo ArLlcle 4 of Lhe lCC8 Lo
whlch Syrla ls a slgnaLory, Lhe lmplemenLaLlon of emergency law ls only Lo be malnLalned on a
Lemporary basls and only under Lhe condlLlon of a 'publlc emergency whlch LhreaLens Lhe llfe of Lhe
naLlon and Lhe exlsLence of whlch ls offlclally proclalmed'.
267
1he almosL flfLy year long sLaLe of
emergency however clearly vlolaLes lLs obllgaLlons under Lhe lCC8. 1he human rlghLs organlsaLlon
Alkarama polnLed ouL LhaL alLhough Syrla has a leglLlmaLe rlghL Lo defend lLs LerrlLory, Lhe
lmplemenLed emergency leglslaLlon ls malnly dlrecLed agalnsL domesLlc opposlLlon groups and
lndlvlduals.
268

||. Law No. 49
Speclal Law no. 49 passed by Lhe Syrlan eople's Councll ln Lhe Sesslon on 07 !uly 1980 proclalms Lhe
lllegallLy of Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood. Members belonglng Lo Lhe group are sub[ecL Lo punlshmenL
arLlculaLed ln ArLlcle 1: 'Lach and everyone belonglng Lo Lhe Moslem 8reLhren Croup (!ama'a)
organlzaLlon ls consldered a crlmlnal who wlll recelve a deaLh punlshmenL'.
269
1he group, a Sunnl
fundamenLallsL, anLl-governmenL and anLl-Alawl movemenL was lnlLlally prohlblLed as a resulL of a
falled assasslnaLlon aLLempL on Lhe resldenL on !une 1980. 8egardless of Lhe facL LhaL slnce 1982,
afLer Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood was crushed by Lhe Syrlan governmenL, Lhe group offlclally renounced
vlolence and dlrecL confronLaLlon, Law no. 49 remalns ln place unLll Loday.
270
1he broad naLure of Lhe
Lerm 'belonglng' ls however noL clearly deflned and can Lherefore be applled Lo anyone who ls LhoughL
Lo be somehow assoclaLed wlLh Lhe movemenL. 1hls sLands ln clear vlolaLlon of ArLlcle 28 of Lhe Syrlan
265 Alkarama, Syria: The Permanent State oI Emergency A Breeding Ground Ior Torture`, 09 April 2010; Amnesty
International (AI), The State oI the World's Human Rights 2010 Report, POL 10/001/2010; Human Rights Watch
(HRW), A Wasted Decade`, July 2010, 1-56432-663-2.
266 HRW, No Room to Breathe State Repression oI Human Rights Activism in Syria`, October 2007, Volume 19,
No. 6(E).p.16.
267 CCPR/C/SYR/2004/3, 19 October 2004; ICCPR Article 4(1):
In time oI public emergency which threatens the liIe oI the nation and the existence oI which is
oIIicially proclaimed, the States Parties to the present Covenant may take measures derogating Irom
their obligations under the present Covenant to the extent strictly required by the exigencies oI the
situation, provided that such measures are not inconsistent with their other obligations under
international law and do not involve discrimination solely on the ground oI race, colour, sex, language,
religion or social origin`, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm#art4.
268 Alkarama, Syria: The Permanent State oI Emergency A Breeding Ground Ior Torture`, 09 April 2010, p.5.
269 SHRC, Special Report - Repressive Laws in Syria, 19 February 2001,
http://www.shrc.org/data/aspx/d4/254.aspx#D2
270 Michael Jacobsen, What Role Ior the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria's Future?`, The Washington Institute Ior Near
East Policy, 11 March 2005, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID2276.
- 67 -
ConsLlLuLlon based on Lhe presumpLlon of lnnocence. As dlscussed below, numerous lndlvlduals,
lncludlng chlldren, have been arresLed merely due Lo famlly llnks Lo currenL and former members of
Lhe movemenL. 1he human rlghLs organlsaLlon Alkarama reporLs LhaL Lhousands of assoclaLes and
members of Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood have been arresLed slnce 1979 and almosL 17 000 have
dlsappeared slnce enacLmenL of Lhe law.
271
uesplLe slgnlflcanL pressure exerLed by Lhe lnLernaLlonal
nCC communlLy urglng Syrla Lo abandon Lhe deaLh penalLy, Syrla has noL amended lLs laws buL ln
recenL years commuLed Lhe deaLh senLence Lo Lwelve years lmprlsonmenL wlLh hard labour.
272
|||. Arb|trary arrests and unfa|r tr|a|s
numerous lndlvlduals accused of belng radlcal lslamlsLs or assoclaLed wlLh fundamenLallsL rellglous
movemenLs have been charged by Lhe SSSC under arLlcles 307, 283 and 462 of Lhe Syrlan enal code
for allegedly causlng lnclLemenL Lo secLarlan and rellglous sLrlfe harmlng Lhe publlc order.
273
As furLher
elaboraLed below, ln many of Lhese cases defendanLs were senL Lo prlson desplLe Lhe facL LhaL no clear
evldence was presenLed Lo Lhe courL provlng Lhe alleged crlme or lnLenL Lo commlL a crlme. varlous
human rlghLs groups such as P8W as well as Lhe Luropean CourL of Puman 8lghLs (LcLP8) have
emphaslsed Lhe facL LhaL even lf defendanLs admlL Lo belonglng Lo fundamenLallsL rellglous groups,
Lhelr lnLegrlLy ls neverLheless proLecLed under lnLernaLlonal law sLlpulaLlng Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of
expresslon as long as Lhelr acLlons and appeals remaln non-vlolenL. 1he LcLP8 has sLaLed LhaL
'expresslons of hosLlllLy Lowards naLlonal auLhorlLles, supporL for separaLlsL asplraLlons, and promoLlon
of sharl`a law are proLecLed speech Lo Lhe exLenL Lhey do noL dlrecLly advocaLe vlolence'.
274
Moreover, Lhose Lrled before Lhe SSSC are usually sub[ecL Lo unfalr Lrlal, as hlghllghLed ln a wrlLLen
sLaLemenL by ClP8S Lo Lhe unP8C ln 2010. 1he organlsaLlon complalned LhaL mosL defendanLs are
deprlved of baslc rlghLs guaranLeed by lnLernaLlonal convenLlons, such as Lhe rlghL Lo a defence, Lhe
rlghL Lo an aLLorney, Lhe rlghL Lo hear wlLnesses and Lhe rlghL Lo appeal.
273
under ArLlcle 10 of Lhe
unlversal ueclaraLlon of Puman 8lghLs (uuP8) and ArLlcles 14 and 13 of Lhe lCC8, Syrla musL provlde
every alleged perpeLraLor Lhe rlghL Lo falr Lrlal.
276
Powever, accordlng Lo AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal (Al)
deLalnees and defendanLs are prevenLed from meeLlng Lhelr lawyer durlng pre-Lrlal deLenLlon and
271 Alkarama, Syria: The Permanent State oI Emergency A Breeding Ground Ior Torture`, 09 April 2010 at 3.2.
272 CIHRS, Report on the State oI Human Rights in the Arab Region in 2008: From Exporting Terrorism to Exporting
Repression`, December 2008, p.137, http://www.cihrs.org/Images/ArticleFiles/Original/382.pdI.
273 The Institute on Religion and Public Policy, Religious Freedom in Syria`, 07 July 2009,
http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?optioncomcontent&taskview&id3881&Itemid99999999.
274 See Association Ekin v. France, no. 39288/98, ECHR 2001-VIII; Okuoglu v. Turkey |GC|, no. 24246/94, 8 July
1999; and Mslm Gndz v. Turkey No. 1. All available at www.echr.coe.int.
275 CIHRS, 6 September 2010, A/HRC/15/NGO/48.
276 ICCPR Article 14 and 15, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm#art14; UDHR Article 10,
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a10.
- 68 -
consulLaLlon ls ofLen permlLLed for only a few mlnuLes rlghL before Lhe flrsL Lrlal sesslon, whlch clearly
sLands ln vlolaLlon of ArLlcle 14 (3b) of Lhe lCC8. Moreover, ArLlcle 14 sLlpulaLes LhaL 'everyone shall
be enLlLled Lo a falr and publlc hearlng by a compeLenL, lndependenL and lmparLlal Lrlbunal esLabllshed
by law'.
277
1rlals by Lhe SSSC are however usually closed even for famlly members and defendanLs are
noL allowed Lo appeal Lhelr convlcLlon and senLence.
278

3.3.2. Cases
l) 1he Musllm 8roLherhood
uesplLe Lhe facL LhaL Lhe deaLh senLence for Lhose convlcLed under Law no. 49 has frequenLly been
reduced Lo 12 years' lmprlsonmenL ln recenL years, Lhe loosely-deflned crlLerla of belonglng" has
resulLed ln Lhe arresLs of dozens of alleged members of Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood on an annual basls.
1hls ls a clear breach of Lhe presumpLlon of lnnocence enshrlned ln ArLlcle 28 of Lhe Syrlan
ConsLlLuLlon and ArLlcle 9(1) of Lhe lCC8 proclalmlng LhaL 'Lveryone has Lhe rlghL Lo llberLy and
securlLy of person. no one shall be sub[ecLed Lo arblLrary arresL or deLenLlon. no one shall be deprlved
of hls llberLy excepL on such grounds and ln accordance wlLh such procedure as are esLabllshed by
law'.
279
ln numerous cases prosecuLlons of defendanLs were solely based on evldence such as Lhe
possesslon of Cus and books of apparenLly radlcal lmams, whlle no proof for a commlLLed or lnLended
crlme was presenLed.
280
Cver Lhe pasL years chlldren and oLher famlly members of persons accused of
belng members of Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood have also become sub[ecL Lo prosecuLlon due Lo Lhe
loosely deflned naLure of belonglng".
281
A. Amer namam|
Puman 8lghLs WaLch reporLed Lhe case of Amer Pamaml who was senLenced by Lhe SSSC on 09
uecember 2007 Lo Lhree years ln [all for weakenlng naLlonal senLlmenL and awakenlng secLarlan
sLrlfe" (ArL. 283 of enal Code). 1rlal noLes by Luropean dlplomaLs show LhaL Lhe only evldence
presenLed agalnsL Pamaml was LhaL he had copled 23 Cus LhaL promoLed Lhe acLs of Lhe Musllm
8roLherhood.
282

277 ICCPR Article 14, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm#art14.
278 AI, The dangers oI speaking out in Syria`, 28 January 2008, http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/Ieature-
stories/dangers-speaking-out-syria-20080128; Amnesty International World Report 2008.
279 ICCPR Article 9, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm#art9
280 Human Rights Watch, Far Irom Justice Syria's Supreme State Security Court, February 2009, p.37.
281 Alkarama, Syria: The Permanent State oI Emergency A Breeding Ground Ior Torture`, 09 April 2010.
282 Human Rights Watch, Far Irom Justice Syria's Supreme State Security Court, February 2009, p.40: Trial notes
by European diplomats, September 23, 2007 and December 9, 2007.
- 69 -
8. Muhammad Csama Sayes
8orn ln !uly 1973 ln Aleppo, Syrla, Muhammad Csama Sayes was forced LogeLher wlLh hls famlly lnLo
exlle ln 1980 ln fear of Law no. 49 due Lo hls famlly's afflllaLlon wlLh Lhe banned Musllm 8roLherhood.
ln november 2000 Sayes applled for pollLlcal asylum ln Lhe uk whlch was however refused by Lhe
8rlLlsh auLhorlLles. Cn 28 Aprll 2003 Sayes was arresLed and deporLed back Lo Syrla on 03 May 2003.
upon hls arrlval Sayes was deLalned by Syrlan offlclals and Lransferred Lo Lhe ollLlcal SecurlLy 8ranch
and Lhen held ln Seydnaya rlson where he was sub[ecL Lo LorLure and oLher lll-LreaLmenL. Accordlng
Lo a reporL publlshed by Al, Lhe defendanL was held ln lncommunlcado deLenLlon, deprlved of hls rlghL
Lo consulL a lawyer unLll !anuary 2006. Cn 23 !une 2006 Muhammad Csama Sayes was Lrled before Lhe
SSSC and senLenced Lo deaLh. Pls senLence was Lhen reduced Lo 12 year lmprlsonmenL.
283
C. Cmar a|-nayyan kazzouk
Cmar al-Payyan 8azzouk was born ln 8aghdad, lraq ln 1986 Lo a Syrlan faLher who was forced Lo flee
Syrla ln 1983 ln fear of hls llfe due Lo hls afflllaLlon wlLh Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood. AfLer Lhe Amerlcan
lnvaslon of lraq ln 2003 Lhe defendanL was senL Lo Syrla by hls famlly ln order Lo pursue a safer and
more sLable llfe. rlor Lo hls arrlval ln Syrla, 8azzouk conLacLed Lhe Syrlan embassy ln 8aghdad
explalnlng hls famlly hlsLory and personal slLuaLlon. 1he Syrlan offlclals approved hls plans and
provlded hlm wlLh all necessary documenLs. Cn november 13, 2003 8azzouk was arresLed by Syrlan
border pollce whlle Lrylng Lo enLer Lhe counLry. Pe was arresLed under Law no. 49 and was senL Lo
Sednaya rlson. 8azzouk was Lrled before Lhe SSSC by !udge layez al-nourl on charges of belonglng Lo
Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood. 8azzouk was broughL before Lhe [udge Len Llmes perslsLenLly denylng any
afflllaLlon wlLh Lhe ouLlawed movemenL or any oLher pollLlcal group. 8azzouk was convlcLed under Law
no. 49 on 13 uecember 2009 and hls deaLh senLenced was commuLed Lo 12 years lmprlsonmenL.
284
ll) SalaflsL/lslamlsL groups
CLher lslamlc groups LargeLed by Lhe Syrlan sLaLe are frequenLly labelled as SalaflsLs". 1he sLaLe
however falls Lo clearly deflne who consLlLuLes a member of such movemenL and hundreds of rellglous
lslamlc opposlLlon flgures have been deLalned over Lhe pasL years. P8W reporLs LhaL ln Lhe perlod
beLween !anuary 2007 and !une 2008, Lhe SSSC senLenced over 100 lndlvlduals on charges of
283 SHRC, 12 May 2005, http://www.shrc.org/data/aspx/D4/2194.aspx; SHRC, 27 June 2006,
http://www.shrc.org/data/aspx/D5/2695.aspx; Amnesty International, MDE 24/046/2006 (Public), 26 June 2006,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE24/046/2006/en/1b61a4cI-Ia04-11dd-b1b0-
c961I7dI9c35/mde240462006en.pdI.
284 SHRC, Omar Hayyan al-Razzouk sentenced pursuant to Law 49/1980, 16 December 2009,
http://www.shrc.org/data/aspx/d19/4049.aspx.
- 70 -
belonglng Lo a radlcal SalaflsL movemenL.
283
Many alleged lslamlsLs are prosecuLed under ArLlcle 206 of
Lhe enal Code, charged wlLh aLLempLlng Lo change Lhe fundamenLal fabrlc of socleLy Lhrough LerrorlsL
means. Powever, accordlng Lo P8W ln mosL cases Lhose prosecuLed elLher under charges of LerrorlsL
acLs or for lnclLlng raclal and secLarlan sLrlfe (under ArLlcle 283 or 307), no clear evldence was provlded
Lo Lhe SSSC provlng Lhe defendanLs' lnLenLlon of advocaLlng lslamlc exLremlsLs' goals Lhrough vlolenL
means.
286
1hose found gullLy are noL only sub[ecL Lo unfalr Lrlals buL many defendanLs are deLalned
wlLhouL an offlclal charge or Lrlal for exLended perlods of Llme under lnhumane condlLlons and are
ofLen exposed Lo lll-LreaLmenL. Syrla ls Lherefore noL only ln vlolaLlon of ArLlcle 9(3) and 14 (3c) of Lhe
lCC8 (sLlpulaLlng Lhe rlghL Lo be Lrled prompLly), buL also of ArLlcle 9(2) as lL frequenLly falls Lo declare
Lhe charge for whlch defendanLs are held for prolonged perlods of Llme.
287
lurLhermore, Syrla ls
heavlly crlLlclsed by Lhe lnLernaLlonal communlLy for allegedly lnfllcLlng LorLure, whlch ls lllegal under
lnLernaLlonal law (lncludlng ArLlcle 7 of Lhe lCC8) buL ls also forbldden by ArLlcle 28(3) of lLs own
ConsLlLuLlon.
288
AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal reporLed LhaL no case ls known where Syrla's laws agalnsL
LorLure have acLually been lmplemenLed.
289

D. Mu'aw|ya a|-nasan
Cn 23 SepLember 2007, Mu`awlya al-Pasan, a sLudenL aL Lhe unlverslLy of uamascus, was broughL
before [udges of Lhe SSSC. Pe was charged wlLh awakenlng secLarlan sLrlfe" prohlblLed under ArLlcle
283. Accordlng Lo Lrlal noLes by Luropean dlplomaLs, Lhe Syrlan auLhorlLles had found Cus of
'fundamenLallsL lmams' (lbn 1aymlyyah and lbn 8az) ln hls aparLmenL. 1he Lrlal observers dld noL noLe
any addlLlonal evldence presenLed ln courL. 1wo monLhs laLer, on november 23, 2007, Lhe SSSC
senLenced hlm Lo Lwo years ln [all. 8y Lhe Llme al-Pasan recelved hls verdlcL, he had already been
deLalned for one year and Lhree monLh.
290
L. Usra a|-nassan|
Cn 31 !uly 2008 Syrlan SLaLe SecurlLy offlclals arresLed 33 year old usra al-Passanl from her home ln
Lhe vlllage of al-CLayba, 20 km easL of uamascus. Al belleves her arresL Lo be relaLed Lo her efforLs Lo
conLacL an lnLernaLlonal organlsaLlon ln regards Lo Lhe condlLlons of her husband held ln uS cusLody.
Slnce AugusL 2002 her husband !ehad ulab has been deLalned wlLhouL charge or Lrlal as an 'enemy
285 Human Rights Watch, Far Irom Justice Syria's Supreme State Security Court, February 2009, p.4
286 SHRC, Omar Hayyan al-Razzouk sentenced pursuant to Law 49/1980, 16 December 2009,
http://www.shrc.org/data/aspx/d19/4049.aspx.
287 ICCPR Article 9 and 14, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm.
288 See p.67.
289 AI, Syria BrieIing to the Committee Against Torture`, 2010, London, UK.
290 The Arabic Network Ior Human Rights InIormation (ANHRI),
http://www.anhri.net/syria/nohrs/2007/pr1126.shtml; Ibid, p.38.
- 71 -
combaLanL' ln Lhe uS admlnlsLered deLenLlon cenLre aL CuanLanamo 8ay
291
. usra al-Passanl was held
lncommunlcado for one year wlLhouL belng lnformed of Lhe charges agalnsL her. Cn 18 !uly 2009 usra
al-Passanl was released and Lhen re-arresLed on !anuary 2010. 1he reason for her arresL ls belleved Lo
relaLe Lo her lnvolvemenL ln a poem LhaL ls LhoughL Lo lnclLe vlolence agalnsL an lnformanL Lo Lhe
securlLy forces.
292
no furLher reporLs are known abouL her mosL recenL arresL. Al and P8W have called
for Lhe lmmedlaLe release of usra al-Passanl unless Lhe securlLy servlce has clear evldence of Lhe
commlLLed crlme. ln a sLaLemenL relaLed Lo her flrsL arresL !oe SLork, Mlddle LasL depuLy of P8W
polnLed ouL LhaL 'belng marrled Lo an lslamlsL or Lo a crlmlnal suspecL ls noL a crlme'.
293
lll) !ehovah's WlLnesses
ln 1964 Lhe Syrlan governmenL ouLlawed Lhe !ehovah's WlLnesses due Lo Lhelr alleged ZlonlsL moLlves.
Accordlng Lo an uS SLaLe ueparLmenL reporL on freedom of rellglon ln Syrla, publlshed on 2010, only a
small number of members of Lhe rellglon exlsL ln Syrla and Lhey are forced Lo remaln clandesLlne.
Whlle proselyLlzlng ls noL lllegal under Syrlan law, lL ls however sLrongly dlscouraged by Lhe
governmenL and Lhose acLlvely pracLlslng lL mlghL run Lhe rlsk of belng charged wlLh poslng a LhreaL Lo
Lhe relaLlons among rellglous groups.
294
uesplLe Lhe facL LhaL fewer lncldenLs of arresLs occur under Lhe
charge of belonglng Lo Lhe !ehovah's WlLnesses, Lhe procedures are neverLheless Lhe same.
I. Nader Nse|r
AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal reporLed Lhe case of nader nselr, a 38 year old Syrlan and follower of !ehovah's
WlLnesses. nselr was called ln Lo Lhe ollLlcal SecurlLy branch ln LaLakla, wesLern Syrla, and allegedly
puL under pressure Lo become an lnformanL abouL Lhe communlLy. As a resulL of hls refusal, hls lu card
was conflscaLed and he was prevenLed from reLurnlng Lo Lebanon, hls currenL place of resldence. ln an
aLLempL Lo lllegally cross Lhe border he was reLurned by Lebanese border pollce Lo Syrla and Laken lnLo
cusLody on 7 May 2010. Slnce Lhen nselr has been held ln lncommunlcado deLenLlon and hls locaLlon ls
unknown Lo hls famlly or human rlghLs defenders. ln Lhe global campalgn Lo locaLe nader nselr, Al has
warned abouL LorLure and oLher lll-LreaLmenLs pracLlsed ln Syrlan prlsons.
293
291 AI, WiIe oI Guantanamo detainee released in Syria, 21 July 2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-
updates/good-news/wiIe-guantC3A1namo-detainee-released-syria-20090722
292 AI, 19 February 2010, MDE 24/003/2010 Syria.
293 HRW, Syria: Wives oI Islamist suspects detained, whereabouts anknown, 17 August 2008,
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/08/17/syria-wives-islamist-suspects-detained-whereabouts-unknown.
294 US State Department, 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom, 17 November 2010,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irI/2010/148845.htm.
295 AI, Detained Jehovah's Witness at risk oI torture, 09 July 2010, MDE 24/016/2010 Syria.
- 72 -
3.3.3. Conc|us|on
uesplLe Lhe facL LhaL Syrla does noL sLlpulaLe blasphemy laws and porLrays lLself as a secular
SLaLe, lL lllusLraLes how resLrlcLlons of freedom of expresslon are dangerously lmposed under Lhe gulse
of proLecLlng rellglous and raclal mlnorlLy groups. As parLy Lo Lhe lCC8 and lCL8u Syrla ls obllged Lo
fully granL freedom of speech Lo all, even lf Lhose oplnlons are noL conform wlLh Lhe SLaLe's lnLeresLs.
Syrla's ongolng sLaLe of emergency and lmposlLlon of Law no. 49 provldes Lhe basls for an
almosL unresLrlcLed represslon of cerLaln opposlLlon groups, lncludlng rellglous groups LhaL are
belleved Lo endanger publlc order" and essenLlally challenge Lhe rullng group's power. 1housands of
people, lncludlng prlsoners of consclence are sub[ecL Lo arblLrary and prolonged lmprlsonmenL and are
held lncommunlcado. Many oLhers have dlsappeared and cases of LorLure and lll-LreaLmenL are
reporLed frequenLly. CrlLlclsm volced by Lhe lnLernaLlonal communlLy, calllng on Syrla Lo lmmedlaLely
LermlnaLe Lhe represslon of non-vlolenL opposlLlon groups under Lhe ausplce of emergency laws are
re[ecLed by Syrla. Argulng wlLhln Lhe framework of ArLlcle 20 of Lhe lCC8, Syrla lnslsLs Lo slmply
exerclse lLs rlghL Lo seL llmlLs Lo Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon ln order Lo prevenL lnclLemenL Lo
haLred. 8y applylng ArLlcle 307 and 308 of Lhe Syrlan enal Code, Syrla clalms Lo be conslsLenL wlLh lLs
lnLernaLlonal obllgaLlons by merely punlshlng acLs LhaL endanger dlscrlmlnaLlon on rellglous or raclal
grounds.
296
ln response Lo such [usLlflcaLlon P8W has argued LhaL desplLe Syrla's leglLlmaLe rlghL Lo
proLecL lLs naLlonal lnLegrlLy, Syrla's deflnlLlon of a securlLy LhreaL has been casL so broadly and vague
LhaL lL auLhorlses Lhe lllegal persecuLlon of any defendanL who openly or prlvaLely expresses oplnlons
conLrary Lo governmenL's lnLeresL.
297

296 CCPR/C/SYR/2004/3, 19 October 2004, p. 77-78.
297 Human Rights Watch, Far Irom Justice Syria's Supreme State Security Court, February 2009, p.37.
- 73 -
Sect|on 4: Conc|us|on
1hls paper lllusLraLes LhaL whlle all parLles Lo Lhe debaLe on Lhe defamaLlons of rellglons aL Lhe
un, from Lhe ClC Lo un Speclal 8apporLeurs and member sLaLes, acknowledge Lhe presslng need Lo
effecLlvely counLer lnclLemenL Lo haLred on raclal and rellglous grounds, and glve due recognlLlon and
concern Lo Lhe rlse of lslamophobla, a clear dlscrepancy exlsLs among sLaLes concernlng Lhe meLhod
and lnsLrumenLs LhaL should be used Lo counLer Lhe problem wlLhouL vlolaLlng fundamenLal human
rlghLs. 1he un-adopLed resoluLlons on combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons prlor Lo !anuary 2011 may
appear aL flrsL Lo promoLe Lolerance by advocaLlng llmlLs Lo raclsm and xenophobla, buL all enLall
serlous flaws. loremosL among Lhese ls Lhe shlfL of Lhe proLecLlve focus away from lndlvlduals ln Lhe
ClC-supporLed approach, and Lowards a sysLem of bellef, whlch makes a declslve breach wlLh
prevalllng human rlghLs sLandards. 1hls paper concludes LhaL by calllng for Lhe proLecLlon of lslam ln
order Lo safeguard Musllm communlLles ln Lhe WesL, Lhe ClC's proposals ln pracLlce would endanger
rellglous mlnorlLles, nurLure rellglous lnLolerance and lgnorance, and vlolaLe Lhe rlghLs Lo freedom of
expresslon and of bellef enshrlned ln human rlghLs law, as well as leave clvlllans vulnerable Lo Lhe
breach of a specLrum of oLher rlghLs. 1he broad deflnlLlon of defamaLlon of rellglon ln ClC resoluLlons
arblLrarlly resLrlcLs Lhe leeway for lndlvlduals Lo exerclse Lhelr rlghLs Lo free speech wlLhouL belng
consldered Loo crlLlcal - dlrecLly or lndlrecLly - of Lhe rellglon, and allows laws Lo be selecLlvely
applled.
1he consequences of Lhls have been demonsLraLed ln Lhe selecLlon of recenL cases Laken from
Lhree ClC member sLaLes. 8lasphemy laws ln aklsLan and Algerla, and provlslons of Syrla's speclal and
emergency laws have been parLlally [usLlfled by Lhe respecLlve governmenLs as a bld Lo proLecL
mlnorlLy rlghLs. ?eL by looklng aL Lhelr use (or mlsuse) ln Lhese Lhree counLrles we have seen Lhem
wlelded as lnsLrumenL of persecuLlon, lnvolvlng grave vlolaLlons of Lhe rlghLs Lo free expresslon and
bellef.
1he Lhree counLrles represenL a range ln Lerms of Lhelr geographlc locaLlons and Lhe exLenL of
Lhelr leglslaLlve consLralnLs on Lhe lssue. AlLhough by no means exhausLlve ln scope, and cerLalnly
selecLed by Lhe auLhors Lo demonsLraLe Lhe derogaLlve and arblLrary naLure of Lhese laws, all Lhe cases
lllusLraLe a serlous gap of proLecLlon concernlng Lhe rlghLs of Lhe lndlvldual. ln each case laws relaLlng
Lo rellglous crlLlclsm have been used Lo resLraln, punlsh and persecuLe - ofLen for pollLlcal ends -
persons who belong Lo mlnorlLles or have exerclsed Lhelr freedom of expresslon. ln Syrla Lhls has been
seen ln Lhe prolonged lmplemenLaLlon of emergency laws LhaL leglLlmlse severe punlshmenLs agalnsL
anyone percelved as a LhreaL Lo Lhe rule of a mlnorlLy group. ln aklsLan, as ln Algerla, Lhe courLlng of
- 74 -
powerful, ofLen dangerous popullsL rellglous groups by local governmenLs has led Lo a proLecLlon gap
for clvlllans and Lhe weakenlng of Lhe law enforcemenL and [udlclal processes. Many of Lhe cases
lnvolved lll-LreaLmenL or LorLure and unfalr Lrlals, wlLh procedural safeguards unavallable or
overlooked and an enforcemenL sysLem lll-equlpped Lo proLecL Lhe accused from Lhe publlc fervour
LhaL Lhe laws have essenLlally encouraged.
As parLles Lo Lhe lCC8, sLaLes are obllged Lo proLecL Lhe rlghL Lo freedom of expresslon,
Lhough Lhey malnLaln Lhe rlghL under ArLlcle 20(2) Lo also sub[ecL Lhls Lo cerLaln llmlLaLlons Lo proLecL
clLlzens from lnclLemenLs Lo raclal or rellglous haLred. Powever ln all Lhree counLrles Lhls clause has
been severely abused ln order Lo proLecL a parLlcular rellglous perspecLlve along wlLh Lhe lnLeresLs of
Lhe sLaLe, Lhls has (ofLen faLally) endangered Lhe fundamenLal rlghLs of lndlvlduals Lo free speech and
as noLed by dlssenLlng sLaLes and un Speclal 8apporLeurs, caused severe damage Lo lnLer-rellglous
dlalogue and undersLandlng.
uesplLe aklsLan and Syrla belng Lwo of Lhe mosL ouLspoken advocaLes of Lhe resoluLlon on
'combaLlng defamaLlon of rellglons' aL Lhe un Lo furLher Lhe proLecLlon of mlnorlLles (osLenslbly
ouLslde of Lhe Musllm world), Lhls paper has shown Lhe greaL dangers lnherenL ln Lhe ClC proposals, as
evldenced by boLh sLaLes' Je focto appllcaLlon of oppresslve blasphemy laws.
ln vlew of Lhe many rlghLs LhreaLened by Lhe proposal Lo combaL 'defamaLlon of rellglons' ln a
blndlng lnsLrumenL, we concur wlLh Lhe recommendaLlons made by varlous sLaLes, nCCs and un
experLs covered ln SecLlon 1wo. ln Je jote Lerms ArLlcles 18-20 sufflclenLly arLlculaLe Lhe boundarles
and rlghLs of Lhe freedom of expresslon and bellef LhaL are necessary Lo proLecL persons from
lnclLemenL Lo raclal and rellglous haLred, lL falls Lo sLaLes Lo lmplemenL Lhem effecLlvely. Powever
equally lmporLanL ls Lhe need for more open, plurallsLlc dlalogue among rellglous, culLural and eLhnlc
communlLles, whlch wlll overcome culLural and rellglous dlfferences more effecLlvely Lhan Lhe
suppresslon or crlmlnallsaLlon of crlLlclsm.
- 75 -
Annex
Lxcerpt of ak|stan's Cr|m|na| Law Amendment AC1 2004 (AC1 I, 200S)
SecLlon 136-A of Lhe Crlmlnal rocedure Code (Cr..C):

lnvesLlgaLlon of offence under secLlon - 293-C aklsLan enal Code (C) - 'noLwlLhsLandlng anyLhlng
conLalned ln Lhls code, no pollce offlcer below Lhe rank of a superlnLendenL of pollce shall lnvesLlgaLe
Lhe offence agalnsL any person alleged Lo have been commlLLed by hlm under secLlon 293-C of Lhe
aklsLan enal Code, (AcL xLv of 1860).'
ubllshed ln aklsLan Law !ournal (L!) 2003 lederal ShrlaL CourL page # 207


1he Lahore Plgh CourL clLed Lhe amendmenL ln a blasphemy case ln 2002:

MUnAMMAD MAn8CC8 a||as 8CC8A-Appe||ant
Versus
1nL S1A1L-kespondent

'---Ss. 293-A, 293-8 & 293-C---8lasphemy---lncrease ln Lhe number of reglsLraLlon of blasphemy cases
and elemenL of mlschlef lnvolved Lhereln calls for exLra care aL Lhe end of Lhe rosecuLlng Cfflcers---
lallure, lnefflclency and lncompeLence of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon ln handllng Lhe case of blasphemy---
ulrecLlons by Lhe Plgh CourL, ln clrcumsLances, dlrecLed Lhe lnspecLor Ceneral of ollce of Lhe rovlnce
Lo ensure LhaL whenever such a case ls reglsLered, Lhe same may be enLrusLed for purpose of
lnvesLlgaLlon Lo a Leam of aL leasL Lwo CazeLLed lnvesLlgaLlng Cfflcers preferably Lhose conversanL wlLh
Lhe lslamlc !urlsprudence and ln case Lhey Lhemselves are noL conversanL wlLh lslamlc law, a scholar of
known repuLaLlon and lnLegrlLy may be added Lo Lhe Leam and Lhe Leam should Lhen lnvesLlgaLe as Lo
wheLher an offence ls commlLLed or noL and lf Lhe Leam comes Lo Lhe concluslon LhaL Lhe offence ls
commlLLed, Lhe pollce may only Lhen proceed furLher ln Lhe maLLer---1rlal ln such case be held by a
CourL preslded over by a !udlclal Cfflcer who hlmself ls noL less Lhan Lhe rank of ulsLrlcL and Sesslons
!udge.'
ubllshed ln Lhe aklsLan Law ulgesL (Lu 2002, Lahore page # 388, paragraph ( c ) enal Code (xLv of
1860)
- 76 -