Blasphemy law in the United Arab Emirates explained
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) law against blasphemy is governed by article 312 of the United Arab Emirates Penal Code.
Law
According to Article 312 of the Penal code, the following offences if perpetrated publicly shall be a subject to a jail sentence for a minimum period of one year in addition to a fine:[1]
- Offence to any of the Islamic sacred beliefs or rites.
- Insult to any of the divine recognized religions.
- Approving, encouraging or promoting sin or do any act that tempts towards committing it.
- Knowingly eating pork meat by Muslims
Selected cases
In 2008, three Filipino workers were accused in the Emirate of Sharjah allegedly for ripping a page out of the Quran and scribbling on the page. The allegation arose during a dispute between the workers and their employer.[2]
In 2012, a French businessman was accused for defacing the Quran by spitting on it before he assaulted and threatened to kill a new British Muslim convert after she refused to marry him.[3]
In August 2021, Abdul Khader Puthiyangadi, an ex-Muslim from Kerala, was arrested without bail and sentenced to prison for three years for criticizing Quran and Hadith in the United Arab Emirates on the grounds of the blasphemy law.[4] [5]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: قانون العقوبات لدولة الامارات العربية المتحدة. 117. Dubai Judicial Institute. 2020. 2021-11-30. 2021-11-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20211130134529/http://www.dji.gov.ae/Documents/Laws/Oqobat%20El%202020%20PW.pdf. dead.
- Web site: Blasphemy: three Filipinos in jail in Sharjah, and one Turk faces death in Gedda . AsiaNews . 21 April 2008 . 19 August 2009.
- Web site: Businessman accused of defacing Quran, insulting Islam. 24 September 2012 .
- News: Release of Malayali rationalist sought. The Hindu. 19 September 2021.
- Web site: Freethinker from Kerala faces death penalty in Dubai jail as he is trapped into blasphme charges.
