Thursday, April 22, 2010

Indonesia keeps blasphemy law

The blasphemy law in Indonesia is a law that only allows for certain religions to be practiced. Indonesia only recognizes Catholic and Protestant Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Confucianism. Human rights groups have been trying to fight this law since it was passed in 1967. They say that it threatens religious freedom in the most populous Muslim nation. But on Monday, Indonesia's constitutional court decided in favor of the law, not even allowing for new religions and sects to be added to the list. According to the US Commission of International Religious Freedom, reports say that the blasphemy laws often cause tension between religious communities. It is also said that in the laws current form, it can be used by fundamentalist Muslim groups to discriminate against religious groups they dislike.

Submitted by: Madelyn Higdon

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