Ethics

Hari on Defamation of Religion Laws

By Ed Brayton

Johann Hari has an excellent column in The Independent about the attempts to pass laws banning the defamation of religion and how the UN official whose job is to advocate for free speech has now had his job redefined:

The UN's Rapporteur on Human Rights has always been tasked with exposing and shaming those who prevent free speech - including the religious. But the Pakistani delegate recently demanded that his job description be changed so he can seek out and condemn "abuses of free expression" including "defamation of religions and prophets". The council agreed - so the job has been turned on its head. Instead of condemning the people who wanted to murder Salman Rushdie, they will be condemning Salman Rushdie himself.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on February 06, 2009 (boomark / email).