Legal Commentary

Another Prosecution for Criticism of Religion

By Eugene Volokh

The Daily News Egypt reports:

Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud on Monday referred the publisher of Islamic books to a State Security Court on charges of contempt of the Christian religion.

Publisher Ahmed Abdallah Abo-Islam, was charged for accusing Christians of fabricating the Bible and threatening social stability and security....

In [the complaint that triggered the referral, Coptic lawyer Naguib Gobrael, head of Egyptian Union for Human Rights,] said that ?defamatory? copies of the Bible published by Al-Tanweer Center (The Enlightenment Center) ?included allegations by Abo-Islam that ... this is not the authentic Bible and that the current Bible used among Christians is fabricated, modified, and full of contradictions.? ...

?The introduction of the book presented by Abo-Islam said that the Bible is not and has never been a Holy Book at all, and that the Church is deceiving Christians by labeling it ?The Holy Book? in gold,? said Gobrael.

?We are against any religious defamation whether Islamic or Christian, and Abo-Islam defamed a religion that is acknowledged by the Quran and the constitution, which is illegal according to Article 98,? he added.

Thanks to Prof. Howard Friedman (Religion Clause) for the pointer.

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on August 25, 2010 (boomark / email).