{"id":34194,"date":"2020-07-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-12T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csw-yeo.1wp.site\/blog\/the-relationship-between-blasphemy-laws-and-religious-extremism-in-the-4724\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T22:07:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T21:07:50","slug":"the-relationship-between-blasphemy-laws-and-religious-extremism-in-the-4724","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.csw.org.uk\/es\/blog\/the-relationship-between-blasphemy-laws-and-religious-extremism-in-the-4724\/","title":{"rendered":"La relaci\u00f3n entre las leyes contra la blasfemia y el extremismo religioso en Oriente Medio y el Norte de \u00c1frica"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While an estimated 69 countries<\/a> across the globe possess blasphemy laws of some kind, no geographical region has as many countries with such laws as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Furthermore, in many of these countries the penalties for committing the \u2018crime\u2019 of blasphemy are among the most severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Iran, for example, anyone who insults the \u2018Great Prophet \u2026 or any of the Great Prophets\u2019 of Islam can be sentenced to death under Article 262 of the Penal Code. In Egypt, the crime of \u201cinciting strife, ridiculing or insulting a heavenly religion or a sect following it, or damaging national unity\u201d is punishable by up to five years imprisonment under Article 98(f) of the Penal Code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are blasphemy laws?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Blasphemy laws criminalise actions, often emitted in speech, writing or art deemed defamatory to a certain religion, offensive against religious figures or harmful to religious feelings. They also criminalise actions such as the disruption of religious services and the desecration of religious sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

A survey<\/a> conducted by the Global Legal Research Centre of the Law Library of the United States Congress in 2017 found that \u201cblasphemy laws are widely dispersed around the globe; regional patterns are apparent. Such laws are more likely to exist and be actively enforced in Islamic countries.\u201d In countries such as Pakistan these laws were established during the colonial era, but remain in effect long after independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The legal framework implemented in most countries in the MENA region consists of laws and regulations that can be used to protect \u2018social cohesion\u2019 and \u2018national security\u2019 depending on how these terms are interpreted by the authorities in each country. Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n