Denmark Passes Controversial Law That Criminalizes Blasphemy

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Denmark has amended its penal code, making it a criminal offense to commit blasphemy, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. The law appears in section 110 of Denmark’s penal code and was passed by the Danish parliament in December 2023.

The new law provides that: “[A] person is to be punished [when they] publicly or with the intent of [influencing] a wider circle are guilty of [the crime] of recognized religious community, or an object that appears to be such a text,” ICC reports.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly criticized Danish lawmakers for passing the law, ICC reports. While condemning the burning of religious books and similar acts, USCIRF Commissioner David Curry said in a statement: “Criminalizing blasphemy is the wrong approach and not effective in addressing either security concerns or the underlying hatred experienced by religious communities.”

Raising its own concerns about the impact of this law on religious freedom in Denmark, ICC said in its report: “The addition clarifies that the aim is to protect Danish foreign relations. Despite the wording and location, however, blasphemy laws of any sort have been viewed as extremely problematic throughout the world with Denmark abolishing its earlier blasphemy law in 2017.”

“We pray that this amendment would be used for its intended purpose of keeping foreign relations and not be applied for further persecution,” ICC added in its report. “We praise God that he has a perfect plan and that he acts with perfect justice,” ICC said.

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