The Scottish Government issued yesterday a new bill concerning the decriminalisation of blasphemy. It is noteworthy that more than 175 years have passed since the last persecution of this kind.
The Secretary for Justice Humza Youssef said that the law would be modernised and henceforth it would cover several forms of discrimination based on age, disability, origin, religion and sexual orientation. “By enacting strong laws, the Parliament sends a strong message that such acts will no longer be tolerated,” he added.
Humanists UK, an organisation that has been fighting against blasphemy law since 2015, welcomes the bill. “Humanitarians have called on governments to repeal these laws in solidarity with the victims of repressive laws around the world,” said Andrew Copson, the Chief Executive of the organisation.
If the law is passed, Scotland will be following the same route with many other countries, including Denmark, Canada, Greece and Ireland, in terms of decriminalising blasphemy.
Source: ANA-MPA