‘Religion should not dictate what is allowed and what is forbidden to say publicly’, says MP who proposed the repealDanish lawmakers have repealed a 334-year-old blasphemy law that forbids public insults of a religion, such as the burning of holy books. Denmark was the only Scandinavian country with a blasphemy law, which called for up to four months in prison upon conviction, although most people were fined instead. Politicians who wanted to repeal the law introduced in 1683 “do not believe that there should be special rules protecting religions against expressions”, the Danish parliament said on its website. But remarks and acts that threaten or demean certain groups of people because of their religious beliefs will still be punishable. “Religion should not dictate what is allowed and what is forbidden to say publicly,” Bruno Jerup, an MP who proposed to repeal the law, was quoted as saying by Jyllands-Posten.

Source: The Guardian June 02, 2017 16:54 UTC