Posted on June 1, 2017

Danes Again Ponder Repeal of Blasphemy Law

A case of a man charged under Denmark’s little-used blasphemy law for setting a Quran on fire and posting a video of it online has raises the question again: Should Danes scrap the law which makes it a crime to insult God?

Lawmakers in this predominantly Lutheran, albeit secular, country have several times debated whether to repeal the two-line legislation. But each time, they ended up keeping it — although no one has been convicted of blasphemy since 1946.

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An upcoming trial has brought the issue to the forefront.

John Salvesen, 42, posted a video on Facebook in December 2015, showing the burning of a Quran in his backyard.

“I used my democratic right: freedom of speech,” Salvesen said.

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Some have argued that the law clashes with Denmark’s freedom of speech.

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Salvesen’s lawyer, Rasmus Paludan, said he’d be surprised if his client could be found guilty. He recalled the 1997 burning of a Bible by artist Soeren Moesgaard: “No one was charged then.”

A 14-member leftwing party is behind the latest proposal to repeal the blasphemy law.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen’s Liberals decided to join a majority of lawmakers, including the anti-immigration Danish People’s Party, who support repeal.

It basically leaves the opposition Social Democrats, with only 46 seats in the 179-seat assembly, to stand alone with their desire to keep it.

Repeal would not be retroactive and would not affect the prosecution of Salvesen.

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