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US Official News
May 25, 2013 Saturday
Washington: Turkish Author Sentenced to One Year in Prison for
`Blasphemous' Blog
Washington
The Human Rights First has issued the following news release:
Human Rights First condemns the sentencing of Turkish-Armenian author
Sevan Nisanyan to thirteen months in prison for `insulting the
religious beliefs held by a section of society.' Nisanvan was
convicted under Turkey's anti-blasphemy statutes for a blog he wrote
last September.
`The Turkish judiciary is using prison sentences to intimidate those
who express their views peacefully,' said Human Rights First's Joelle
Fiss. `This is a worrisome trend. Punishing people for expressing
their opinions violates international law and and has adverse
consequences. Nisanvan's conviction should be overturned on appeal.'
In the offending blog post, Nisanvan wrote, referring to the Prophet
Mohamed, `Ridiculing with an Arab leader who claimed to have contacted
God and gained political, financial and sexual gains from it. This is
kindergarten level example of expression freedom.' According to local
press, the sentence cannot be converted to a financial penalty, but
the verdict is open for appeal.
The blasphemy case comes just one month after the Turkish pianist
Fazil Say was handed a suspended 10-month prison sentence for `openly
denigrating Islam' in a series of Tweets.
Anti-blasphemy laws forbid the criticism or insult of religion, or any
perceived contempt of religion. In many countries, including Turkey,
alleged blasphemers may be sentenced to prison terms for expressing
non-violent opinions. Such laws are a tool for suppressing freedom of
speech.
In March 2012, Human Rights First issued an update to its 2011 report
Blasphemy Laws Exposed: The Consequences of Criminalizing `Defamation
of Religions,' which documented more than 100 recent cases from 18
countries that demonstrate the gross abuses that arise from the
application of national blasphemy laws. The organization notes that
blasphemy laws are frequently used to stifle debate and dissent,
harass rivals, and settle petty disputes among neighbors, business
partners and political adversaries. Increasingly, these laws also
trigger violence.
For more information please visit: http://www.humanrightsfirst.org
May 25, 2013 Saturday
Washington: Turkish Author Sentenced to One Year in Prison for
`Blasphemous' Blog
Washington
The Human Rights First has issued the following news release:
Human Rights First condemns the sentencing of Turkish-Armenian author
Sevan Nisanyan to thirteen months in prison for `insulting the
religious beliefs held by a section of society.' Nisanvan was
convicted under Turkey's anti-blasphemy statutes for a blog he wrote
last September.
`The Turkish judiciary is using prison sentences to intimidate those
who express their views peacefully,' said Human Rights First's Joelle
Fiss. `This is a worrisome trend. Punishing people for expressing
their opinions violates international law and and has adverse
consequences. Nisanvan's conviction should be overturned on appeal.'
In the offending blog post, Nisanvan wrote, referring to the Prophet
Mohamed, `Ridiculing with an Arab leader who claimed to have contacted
God and gained political, financial and sexual gains from it. This is
kindergarten level example of expression freedom.' According to local
press, the sentence cannot be converted to a financial penalty, but
the verdict is open for appeal.
The blasphemy case comes just one month after the Turkish pianist
Fazil Say was handed a suspended 10-month prison sentence for `openly
denigrating Islam' in a series of Tweets.
Anti-blasphemy laws forbid the criticism or insult of religion, or any
perceived contempt of religion. In many countries, including Turkey,
alleged blasphemers may be sentenced to prison terms for expressing
non-violent opinions. Such laws are a tool for suppressing freedom of
speech.
In March 2012, Human Rights First issued an update to its 2011 report
Blasphemy Laws Exposed: The Consequences of Criminalizing `Defamation
of Religions,' which documented more than 100 recent cases from 18
countries that demonstrate the gross abuses that arise from the
application of national blasphemy laws. The organization notes that
blasphemy laws are frequently used to stifle debate and dissent,
harass rivals, and settle petty disputes among neighbors, business
partners and political adversaries. Increasingly, these laws also
trigger violence.
For more information please visit: http://www.humanrightsfirst.org