The Application of the Apostasy Law in the World Today - Page 9

[1] A Kuwaiti jurist (1996) quoted in Anh Nga Longva, "The Apostasy Law in the Age of Universal Human Rights and Citizenship: Some Legal and Political Implications", paper delivered at the Fourth Nordic Conference on Middle Eastern Studies: The Middle East in a Globalizing World, Oslo, 13-16 August 1998. http://www.hf.uib.no/smi/pao/longva.html.

[2] Fauzi M. Najjar, "Islamic Fundamentalism and the Intellectuals: The Case of Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd", British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 27, No. 2, November 2000, pp. 177-200; Also Fauzi M. Najjar, "Book Banning in Contemporary Egypt", The Muslim World, Vol. 91, Nos. 3&4, Fall 2001.

[3] Cyril Glasse, The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam, Revised Edition, London: Stacey International, 2001, p. 271.

[4] Patrick Sookhdeo, A People Betrayed: The Impact of Islamization on the Christian Community in Pakistan, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications & Pewsey, Wiltshire: Isaac Publishing, 2002, p. 243.

[5] Patrick Sookhdeo, A People Betrayed: The Impact of Islamization on the Christian Community in Pakistan, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications & Pewsey, Wiltshire: Isaac Publishing, 2002, pp.297-302.

[6] John L. Esposito, ed., The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, New York: The Oxford University Press, 1995. pp. 439-443.

[7] See section 2. "The human rights situation of religious minorities in Pakistan", section 6. "Official indifference to other abuses of minority rights", and section 7. "Bias of the members of the criminal justice system against minorities" in "Pakistan: Insufficient Protection of Religious Minorities", Amnesty International, May 2001,ASA 33/008/2001, pp. 2-4, 28-29.

[8] Azzam Tamimi, "Human Rights - Islamic and Secular Perspectives", in The Quest for Sanity, The Muslim Council of Britain, 2002, pp. 229-235.

[9] The Egyptian Constitution states in article 2: "Islam is the Religion of the State. Arabic is its official language, and the principal source of legislation is Islamic Jurisprudence (Sharia)", Egyptian Parliament website, http://www.parliament.gov.eg/EPA/en/itemX.jsp?itemFlag=%22Strange%22&categoryID=1§ionID=11&typeID=1&categoryIDX=1&itemID=8&levelid=54&parentlevel=6&levelno=2. The Mauritanian Constitution of 1991 states in its Preamble that the precepts of Islam are the only source of law, "Mauritania - Constitution", ICL Document, 12 July 1991, http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/mr00000_.html.

[10] For instance, in Egypt, certain high public positions are closed to Christians by an unwritten rule, while churches need special permits for the minutest renovations. In Pakistan religious minorities suffer from "arbitrary denial off social and economic rights as well as the rights to preach, practice and propagate minority beliefs" as well as being subject to a wide range of harassment and humiliation. Section 6. "Official indifference to other abuses of minority rights" in "Pakistan: Insufficient Protection of Religious Minorities", Amnesty International, May 2001,ASA 33/008/2001, pp. 25-28.

[11] "Summary Record of the 1251st Meeting: Iran (Islamic Republic of), 29/07/93", United Nations, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR).

[12] Anh Nga Longva, "The Apostasy Law in the Age of Universal Human Rights and Citizenship: Some Legal and Political Implications", paper delivered at the Fourth Nordic Conference on Middle Eastern Studies: The Middle East in a Globalizing World, Oslo, 13-16 August 1998. http://www.hf.uib.no/smi/pao/longva.html;

[13] Christine Schirrmacher, "Human Rights in Muslim Understanding", http://www.hfe.org/news/profiles/islam_rights.htm.

[14] See following case studies, especially under heading "Muslim Intellectuals Seen as Deviating from Orthodox Interpretations of Islam".

[15] Patrick Sookhdeo, A People Betrayed: The Impact of Islamization on the Christian Community in Pakistan, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications & Pewsey, Wiltshire: Isaac Publishing, 2002, pp. 278-281.

[16] "Defying World Trends: Saudi Arabia's Extensive Use of Capital Punishment", Amnesty International report based on a paper compiled by Amnesty International for the 1st World Congress Against the Death Penalty, 21-23 June 2001, Strasbourg.

[17] Patrick Sookhdeo, A People Betrayed: The Impact of Islamization on the Christian Community in Pakistan, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications & Pewsey, Wiltshire: Isaac Publishing, 2002, pp. 257-274.

[18] "Appendix 1: Offences relating to religion under the Pakistan Penal Code", in "Pakistan: Insufficient Protection of Religious Minorities", Amnesty International, May 2001,ASA 33/008/2001, pp. 57-60.

[19] A Muslim group founded in the 19th century, regarded as heretical by most "orthodox" Muslims and proclaimed a non-Muslim minority by the Pakistani authorities in 1974. Legislation in 1984 made it a criminal offence for Ahmadis to call themselves Muslim. See "Pakistan: Insufficient Protection of Religious Minorities", Amnesty International, May 2001,ASA 33/008/2001, pp. 2-3.

[20] Patrick Sookhdeo, A People Betrayed: The Impact of Islamization on the Christian Community in Pakistan, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications & Pewsey, Wiltshire: Isaac Publishing, 2002, pp. 239-243, 249-257; "Pakistan: Insufficient Protection of Religious Minorities", Amnesty International, May 2001, AI Index: ASA 33/008/2001.

[21] Akbar S. Ahmed, "Pakistan's Blasphemy Law: Words Fail Me", Washington Post, 19 May 2002, P. B1.

[22] "Persecution Under the Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan", Jubilee Campaign Information Sheet, http://www.jubileecampaign.co.uk/world/pak25.htm.

[23] "Pakistani court frees 'blasphemer' ", BBC NEWS, Thursday 15 August 2002, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/south_asia/2196275.stm.

[24] Idrees Bakhtiar, “Karachi police break up blasphemy rally”, BBC NEWS, Wednesday, 10 January 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1110187.stm; “Critics condemn Pakistani government retraction”, BBC NEWS, Wednesday, 17 May 2000, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/752532.stm.

[25] Susannah Price, "Pakistani appeals over death sentence", BBC News Online: World: South Asia, 21 August 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/south_asia/1502650.stm.

[26] Idrees Bakhtiar, "Karachi police break up blasphemy rally", BBC NEWS, Wednesday, 10 January 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1110187.stm; "Critics condemn Pakistani government retraction", BBC NEWS, Wednesday, 17 May 2000, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/752532.stm.

[27] "Religious Freedom in the Majority Islamic Countries, 1998 Report: Egypt", Aid to the Church in Need, http://www.alleanzacattolica.org/acs/acs_english/report_98/egypt.htm; Fauzi M. Najjar, "Book Banning in Contemporary Egypt", The Muslim World, Vol. 91, Nos. 3&4, Fall 2001.

[28] (http://www.hraic.org/apostasy_and_prophet_muhammad.html).

[29] (http://www.hraic.org/apostasy_and_prophet_muhammad.html).

[30] Ann Elizabeth Mayer, Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics (Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press and London: Printer Publishers, 1991) p.169

[31] Fauzi M. Najjar, "Book Banning in Contemporary Egypt", The Muslim World, Vol. 91, Nos. 3&4, Fall 2001.

[32] See series of articles on the punishment for apostasy by Sayyed Al-Qimni in Rose El-Youssef, October & November 2002, quoted in RSNAW (Religious News Service from the Arab World), Fall 2001, week 40,October 4-10, 2002, article 2 (part 1); week 41,October 11-17, 2002, article 2 (part 2); week43, October 25-31, 2002, article 3 (parts 3&4); week 44, November 1-8, 2002, article 2 (part 5). Also Fauzi M. Najjar, "Book Banning in Contemporary Egypt", The Muslim World, Vol. 91, Nos. 3&4, Fall 2001.

[33] Harvey Glickman, "Islamism in Sudan's Civil War", Orbis, Vol. 44. No. 2, Spring 2000, pp. 267-282.

[34] The1998 Constitution of Sudan, ART IV, CHAPTER I, Sources of legislation, article. 65. states: "Islamic law and the consensus of the nation, by referendum, Constitution and custom shall be the sources of legislation ; and no legislation in contravention with these fundamentals shall be made."

[35] Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im, "Application of Shari'ah (Islamic Law) and Human Rights Violations in the Sudan", in Religion and Human Rights: Proceedings of the Conference Convened by the Sudan Human Rights Organization, 1992, p. 101; "Sudan, International Religious Freedom Report, US Department of State, Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, October 26, 2001; "Persecuted Church News - Sudan: 'Religious Freedom'? Not Really!", World Evangelical Alliance, Religious Liberty Prayer List, No. 158, Wed 6, March, 2002, http://www.worldevangelical.org/persec_sudan_06mar02.html.

[36] "Summary Record of the 1629th Meeting: Sudan, 31/10/97", United Nations, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR).

[37] "Summary Record of the 1251st Meeting: Iran (Islamic Republic of), 29/07/93", United Nations, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR).

[38] "Iran: A legal System that Fails to Protect Freedom of Expression and Association", Amnesty International, AI-index: MDE 13/045/2001, http://web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/Index/MDE130452001?OpenDocument&of=COUNTRIES/IRAN.

[39] Zainah Anwar, "What Islam, Whose Islam? Sisters in Islam and the Struggle for Women's Rights" in Robert Hefner, ed., The Politics of Multiculturalism: Pluralism and Citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2001, pp. 235-236 Robert Hefner, ed., The Politics of Multiculturalism: Pluralism and Citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2001, pp.74-75

[40] Roger Mittin, "Speaking Out Again: Mahathir Calls for a Review of Islamic Law", Asia Week.com magazine, http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/96/0809/nat2.html).

[42] Robert Day McAmis, Malay Muslims: The History and Challenge of Resurgent Islam in Southeast Asia, Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2002, pp. 86-90: Abdul Rahman Embong, "The Culture and Practice of Pluralism in Post-Colonial Malaysia" in Robert Hefner, ed., The Politics of Multiculturalism: Pluralism and Citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2001, pp.74-75.

[43] Abdul Rahman Embomg: "The Culture and Practice of Pluralism in Postcolonial Malaysia" in Robert W. Hefner, ed., The Politics of Multiculturalism: Pluralism and Citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2001, p. 59.

[44] Robert W. Hefner, "Introduction" in Robert W. Hefner, ed., The Politics of Multiculturalism: Pluralism and Citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2001, pp. 22-24.

[45] Rober Day McAmis, Malay Muslims: The History and Challenge of Resurgent Islam in Shoutheast Asia, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002, pp. 85-90.

[47] Human Rights Watch, "Crises in Sudan and Northern Uganda", Testimony of Jemera Rone, Human Rights Watch Before the House Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights and the Subcommittee on Africa, 29 July 1998, http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/sudan98/testim/house-01.htm; "Moslem Convert to Christianity faces death for "apostasy" in Sudan", Servant's Heart, http://.blue-nile.org/news/980716_convert_faces_death.htm.

[48] "Iran, Religious and Ethnic Minorities: Discrimination in Law and in Practice", Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/iran/Iran-05.html.

[49] "Iran, Religious and Ethnic Minorities: Discrimination in Law and in Practice", Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/iran/Iran-05.html.

[50] Michael Nazir-Ali, "The Killing of Brother George", The Guardian, Saturday, 29 July 2000; "The Geneva Report 2001: A Perspective on Religious Freedom: Challenges Facing the Christian Community", World Evangelical Alliance, Religious Liberty Commission, http://www.worldeavangelical.org/textonly/3rlc_genevareport01.htm

[51] Patrick Sookhdeo, A People Betrayed: The Impact of Islamization on the Christian Community in Pakistan, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications & Pewsey, Wiltshire: Isaac Publishing, 2002, pp. 264-267.

[52] "Pakistan: Insufficient Protection of Religious Minorities", Amnesty International, May 2001, AI Index: ASA 33/008/2001; "Another Christian Receives the Death Sentence for Blasphemy", The Barnabas Aid, http;//www.pastornet.nt.au/jmm/aame/aame0413.htm.

[53] Fauzi M. Najjar, "Islamic Fundamentalism and the Intellectuals: The Case of Naguib Mahfouz", British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 25, No. 1, May 1998, pp. 139-168; Ami Ayalon, "Egypt's Quest for Cultural Orientation", The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, Tel Aviv University, 1999. http://www.dayan.org/D&A-Egypt-ami.htm.

[54] Fauzi M. Najjar, "Islamic Fundamentalism and the Intellectuals: The Case of Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd", British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 27, No. 2, November 2000, pp. 177-200.

[55] Sunna denotes the actions of Muhammad in his lifetime, his normative perfect personal example, to be followed by all Muslims.

[56] Fiona Lloyd-Davies, "No Compromise", BBC NEWS, Friday, 26 October 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/correspondent/1619902.stm; "Egypt", Amnesty International Report 2002, AI Index: POL 10/001/2002; Philip Smucker, "Lawyer Calls for Divorce over 'insult to Islam' ", Electronic Telegraph, 25 April 2001; Egyptian 'infidel' case dismissed", BBC NEWS, Middle East, 30 July 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1464549.stm.

[57] Akbar S. Ahmed, "Pakistan's Blasphemy Law: Words Fail Me", The Washington Post, Outlook, Sunday 19 May 2002, p. B01; Barry Bearak, "Death to Blasphemers: Islam's Grip on Pakistan", NY Times, 12 May 2001, Foreign Desk, Late edition, Section A, p. 3; "Pakistan doctor faces death for blasphemy", CNN.com, 20 August 2001; Susannah Price, "Pakistani sentenced to death for blasphemy", BBC News Online; World: South Asia, 18 August 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/south_asia/1498121.stm; Susannah Price, "Pakistani appeals over death sentence", BBC News Online; World: South Asia, 21 August 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/south_asia/1502650.stm; Amnesty International News Release, "Blasphemy Laws Should Be Abolished", 21 August 2001, http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/2001/pakistan08212001.html.

[58] Apostasy, Human Rights, Religion and Belief – New Threats to the Freedom of Opinion and Expression: Pakistani Blasphemy Law, Mohammad Younis Shaikh in The Myth of Islamic Tolerance, ed., Robert Spencer, Prometheus Books, 2005.

[59] "Abdollah Nouri, Prisoner of Conscience , Iran", Amnesty International, Medical Action, AI Index: MDE13/010/2002; John F. Burns, "Iran Hard-Liners Try Cleric, Who Tries Them", New York Times, Foreign Desk, 10 November 1999; John F. Burns, "Court Silences Iran reformist With Jail Term", NY Times, 28 November 1999; "Iran: Abdollah Nouri's Release Welcomed, But All prisoners of Conscience Must also Be Released", Amnesty International On-Line, 6 November 2002, AI Index: MDE 13/020/2002, http://www.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/print/MDE130202002?OpenDocument.

[60] An Open Letter to Ayatollah Hashemi-Shahroudi from Human Rights Watch; "Iran: Prosecution of Independent Clerk Condemned", Human Rights Watch, 11 October 2000, http://www.hrw.org/press/2000/10/iran1010.htm; "Iran: Amnesty International Report 2002", Amnesty International, AI Index: POL 10/001/2002; Sadeq Saba, "Liberal Iranian Cleric Jailed", BBC NEWS, Monday, 14 October 2002, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2327499.stm.

[61] Ali Akbar Dareini, "Scholar Sentenced to Death in Iran", Associated Press; Joe Stork, "Iran: Academic's Death Sentence Condemned", Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/press/2002/11/iranacademic.htm. "Protests Grow In Iran Over Death Sentence for Professor", Human Rights Monitor, Tuesday, 12 November 2002, http://www.humanrightsmonitor.org/article601.html; Ayelet Savyon, "The Call for Islamic Protestantism: Dr. Hashem Aghajari's Speech and Subsequent Death Sentence", MEMRI Special Dispatch Series, No. 445, 2 December 2002, http://memri.org/bin/opener.cgi?Page=archives&ID=SP44502.

[62] ‘Ali Akbar Dareini, “Iranian professor freed from jail in Tehran”, The Guardian, 2 August 2004.

[63] "Government Should Ensure Safety of Taslima Nasrin", Amnesty International Public Statement, Bangladesh, 14 October 1998, AI Index: ASA 13/01/98; Taslima goes back into exile", BBC News Online, World: South Asia, Tuesday, 26 January 1999, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/south_asia/263014.stm; "Bangladesh Police hunt feminist writer", BBC News Online: World: South Asia, Friday, 25 September 1998.

[64] Jack Malvern, "Chapter and verse for novel protests", TimesOnline, October 21, 2002.

[65] Genevieve Abdo, "Khomeini Threat Lives On", The Guardian, Friday 12 February 1999, http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,3820765,00.html.

[66] Andrew Osborn, "Woman in hiding after she lambasts Islam", The Observer, Sunday, 6 October 2002; Marlise Simons, "Behind the Veil: A Muslim Woman Speaks Out", New York Times, Foreign Desk , The Saturday Profile, 9 November 2002, Late Edition - Final , Section A , Page 4 , Column 3.

[67] Dean E. Murphy, "Jordanian Muslim Cleric Calls for Death of Author in the U.S.", The New York Times, 30 June 2001,

[68] "Iran, Religious and Ethnic Minorities: Discrimination in Law and in Practice", Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/iran/Iran-05.html.

[69] "Excerpts from Amnesty International Report, ASA 33/10/94, Pakistan", http://www.thepersecution.org/amnst194.html; "Pakistan: Insufficient Protection of Religious Minorities", Amnesty International, May 2001, AI Index: ASA 33/008/2001;

[70] Ardeshir Cowasjee, "Fellow-man", DAWN, Internet Edition, 20 August 2000, http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20000820.htm; "Individual Case Reports: Mirza Mbarak Ahmad Nusrat", http://www.thepersecution.org/case001.html.

[71] "Plight of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan (1989-1999)", http://www.thepersecution.org/archive/pl_blaw.html

[72] Jack Malvern, "Chapter and verse for novel protests", TimesOnline, October 21, 2002; Charles Bremer, "Author cleared of inciting religious hatred", TimesOnline, October 23, 2002.

[73] Jack Malvern, "Chapter and verse for novel protests", TimesOnline, October 21, 2002; Rod Dreher, "Oriana's Screed", National Review Online, 8 October 2002, http://www.nationalreview.com/dreher/dreher101002.asp;

[74] Jack Malvern, "Chapter and verse for novel protests", TimesOnline, October 21, 2002; "An Intellectual Catastrophe", Al-Ahram Weekly On-line, Issue No. 389, 6-12 August, 1998, http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/1998/389/cu1.htm; Geoffrey Wheatcroft, "A Terrifying Honesty", The Atlantic Monthly, (Books & Critics), February 2002, http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/02/wheatcroft.htm.

[75] "Religious Freedom in the Majority Islamic Countries, 1998 Report, Pakistan", Aid to the Church in Need, http://www.alleanzacattolica.org/acs/acs_english/report_98.htm.

[76] "Religious Freedom in the Majority Islamic Countries, 1998 Report, Pakistan", Aid to the Church in Need, http://www.alleanzacattolica.org/acs/acs_english/report_98.htm

[77] "Pakistani Christian on Death Row Released after Appeal to Supreme Court", Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 15 August 2002; "Blasphemy Laws and Intellectual Freedom in Pakistan," South Asian Voice, August 2002 Edition, http://india_resource.tripod.cpm/ifpakistan.html; "SC acquits blasphemy accused", DAWN, Internet edition, 16 August 2002, http://www.dawn.com/2002/08/16/top11.htm

[78] An example of incitement to mob violence based on a false accusation of blasphemy (Christians were falsely accused of tearing and burning pages of the Qur'an, as well as of writing blasphemous statements on them), is documented in Patrick Sookhdeo, A People Betayed: The Impact of Islamization on the Christian Community in Pakistan, pp. 268-274. Large mobs of infuriated Muslims led by clerics and armed with sticks, axes, knives, firearms, explosives and petrol bombs attacked the Christians in the village of Shanti Nagar in the Punjab, Pakistan, on the 5th and 6th, February 1997, looting houses and setting them on fire, destroying telephone and electricity connections as well as water supplies. A number of Christian women were also abducted.