Limits on speech to get U.N. hearing – Sun, 23 Sep 2012 PST

September 23, 2012 in Nation/World Speakers may revive debate onblasphemy

Hannah Allam McClatchy-Tribune

UNITED NATIONS The divide in world opinion over what constitutes free speech will be on display again this week at the United Nations, where arguments over a proposed blasphemy law were an annual feature for the past decade. This time its the global reaction to a YouTube video that disparages Islams Prophet Muhammad thats sure to roil the meeting of the U.N. GeneralAssembly.

Muslim leaders have vowed to discuss the offensive video from their U.N. platforms, sowing concern among free-speech activists of a fresh push toward an international law that would criminalize blasphemy. Human rights groups and Western democracies resisted such a law for years and thought they had finally quashed the matter after convincing enough nations that repressive regimes use blasphemy laws to imprison or executedissidents.

I expect that well regress to where we were a couple of years ago, said Courtney C. Radsch, program manager for the Global Freedom of Expression Campaign at Freedom House, a Washington-based nonprofit group that promotes democraticvalues.

Human rights are not about protecting religions; human rights are to protect humans, Radsch said. Who is going to be the decision-maker on deciding what blasphemyis?

At one end of the spectrum is France, where a magazine last week published cartoons of Muhammad as a naked, cowering man to underscore a point that even the most offensive expression should beprotected.

At the other end of the spectrum is U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who surprised and disappointed many free-speech activists by suggesting limitations to freedom of speech when its used to provoke orhumiliate.

We are living through a period of unease. We are also seeing incidents of intolerance and hatred that are then exploited by others, Ban told the 193-member General Assembly at the gatherings opening last week. Voices of moderation and calm need to make themselves heard at this time. We all need to speak up in favor of mutual respect and understanding of the values and beliefs ofothers.

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Limits on speech to get U.N. hearing - Sun, 23 Sep 2012 PST