Manfred Van H.
Blasphemy law is law relating to blasphemy, or irreverence toward holy personages, religious artifacts, customs, and beliefs.
Some countries, especially countries which have Islam as the state religion, regard blasphemy as a serious offence. Pakistan, for example, has legislation which makes execution a penalty for blasphemy.
In place of or in addition to prohibitions against blasphemy, some countries have laws which give redress to those who feel insulted on account of their religion. These laws forbid hate speech, the vilification of religion, or "religious insult".
In some countries, blasphemy is not a crime. In the United States of America, for example, a prosecution for blasphemy would violate the Constitution according to the decision in Joseph Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson. The United Kingdom abolished its laws in England and Wales against blasphemy in 2008. In Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has recommended that countries enact laws that protect the freedom of expression.
Read more about Manfred Van H.: Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, European Initiatives, Finland, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Yemen, Others
Famous quotes containing the words manfred and/or van:
““Heaven nor hell shall impede my designs,” said Manfred, advancing again to seize the princess. At that instant the portrait of his grandfather ... uttered a deep sigh and heaved its breast. ... Manfred ... saw it quit its panel, and descend on the floor with a grave and melancholy air.”
—Horace Walpole (1717–1797)
“His reversed body gracefully curved, his brown legs hoisted like a Tarentine sail, his joined ankles tacking, Van gripped with splayed hands the brow of gravity, and moved to and fro, veering and sidestepping, opening his mouth the wrong way, and blinking in the odd bilboquet fashion peculiar to eyelids in his abnormal position. Even more extraordinary than the variety and velocity of the movements he made in imitation of animal hind legs was the effortlessness of his stance.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)