News

Muslim nations seek UN ban on 'blasphemy'

November 20, 2009 Edition 2

GENEVA: Islamic nations are mounting a campaign for an international treaty to protect religious symbols and beliefs from mockery, essentially a ban on blasphemy.

Recently obtained documents show that Algeria and Pakistan have taken the lead in lobbying to bring the matter to a vote in the United Nations General Assembly.

Such a ban would face great resistance in Western nations, which enshrine freedom of expression as a fundamental right.

The countries that form the 56-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference are at present lobbying a Geneva-based UN committee to accept its plan. Acceptance would mark the first step for it to eventually be put before the General Assembly.

If that occurs, Muslim countries and their allies in the developing world would stand a decent chance of mustering the simple majority needed in the General Assembly to adopt such a treaty. - Sapa-AP