Blasphemy law
A law that criminalizes or otherwise penalizes expression considered insulting or irreverent toward a deity, religion, or sacred things.
Blasphemy: Speech or conduct regarded as showing contempt or irreverence toward a deity or sacred matters. The legal category depends on how a society defines this underlying religious offense.
R v Lemon: A 1979 English case concerning the blasphemous libel conviction of editor Denis Lemon. The conviction for publishing James Kirkup’s poem exposed the reach of the common-law offense.
Hate speech: Expression that attacks or demeans people based on characteristics such as religion, race, or ethnicity. Hate-speech rules target harm to people, whereas blasphemy rules can target insult to sacred ideas.
Secularism: The principle that government and public institutions should remain independent of religious authority. Repeal or retention often signals how a state defines its relationship with religion.
Criminal law: The body of law that defines offenses, establishes penalties, and governs prosecution by the state. Many blasphemy laws operate through criminal charges, trials, and punishment.
R v Choudhury: A 1991 English case in which a court rejected an attempt to prosecute Salman Rushdie’s novel under blasphemous-libels law. The ruling showed that English blasphemy protection applied to Christianity, not Islam.
Incitement: Speech that intentionally encourages imminent unlawful action or violence, as defined by a legal system. Incitement laws require a connection to unlawful action that blasphemy offenses may not require.
Religious minorities: Groups whose religious identity or practices differ from those of a society’s dominant religious community. Unequal enforcement can expose minorities to accusations, prosecution, or pressure to conform.
Censorship: The suppression or restriction of expression by governments or other authorities. Authorities may use blasphemy rules to block or remove allegedly sacrilegious expression.
Shiv Sena v Manohar Joshi: A 1996 Indian Supreme Court case involving political appeals to Hindu identity and religion. Its treatment of religious offense illustrates the distinct legal paths surrounding sacred expression.