Naomi Phillips, head of public affairs at the British Humanist Association outlines the worldwide threats to free speech and civil liberties.
Internationally, threats to free speech come from a wide range of sources, from individuals and groups wishing to censor criticism particularly of religion, through to powerful nations seeking to outlaw and criminalise any perceived negative critique or portrayal of religion.
There are serious threats to free speech and civil liberty within Europe, such as the new blasphemy law in the Republic of Ireland and laws and practices in places including Greece, Lithuania, Poland and Romania that are oppressive to non-religious people, to women and to the LGBT community.
Internationally, the UK should be a leader in championing free speech issues.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has serious and ongoing concerns even about the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) where regular resolutions by Islamic states in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and their allies are passed that seek to restrict human rights, in particular the rights to freedom of expression and speech, and to freedom of belief.
The question of defamation of religions is one of major importance – and if pursued without care it may become the most significant threat to freedom of expression to have emerged in modern times.
