USCIRF lists Italy among of top 10 worst nations with blasphemy laws

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has listed Italy among the top 10 worst-scoring nations with blasphemy laws.

Italy has been ranked at number seven in USCIRF's report on blasphemy laws around the world because of its legislation protecting the Roman Catholic Church.

Article 403 of Italy's criminal code states that offending adherents of Catholicism carry a punishment of up to two years imprisonment, while those who insult a minister of the Catholic Church can be subjected to a prison sentence of one to three years.

The report, released on Wednesday, found that 71 of the world's 195 countries have blasphemy laws, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment and death.

Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Qatar were listed in the report as the top five worst-scoring countries due to blasphemy laws aimed at protecting the state religion of Islam.

"Advocates for blasphemy laws may argue that they are needed in order to protect religious freedom, but these laws do no such thing. Blasphemy laws are wrong in principle, and they often invite abuse and lead to assaults, murders, and mob attacks. Wherever they exist, they should be repealed," said USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark.

Christians and other religious minorities have fallen victim to such blasphemy laws in countries like Pakistan, where mere accusations can result in discrimination, beatings, abuse and sometimes even death.

In April, Mashal Khan, a university student, was beaten to death by a mob after he was accused of having committed blasphemy during a heated debate about religion with other students.

In June, Ishfaq Masih, a 23-year-old father who runs a repair shop in Lahore, was arrested on charges of blasphemy after he was accused by a Muslim man of insulting the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. The blasphemy allegation came after he asked the Muslim man for payment for a bicycle that he had repaired the previous week.

In Iran, those who are accused of insulting the Islamic faith are threatened with execution. The rise of Christianity in the country, especially among youths, have prompted Islamic seminary officials to call on the government to "stop the spread" of the faith.

According to USCIRF, 86 percent of nations with blasphemy laws threatens offenders with imprisonment. The commission noted in its report that most of the blasphemy laws that it studied were "vaguely worded," and failed to specify intent as part of the violation.

"Though implementation varies, countries from Switzerland to Sudan persist in outlawing expression of views deemed 'blasphemous,'" Mark said.

"Some countries, including Canada, have such laws but do not actively enforce them. We call upon those countries to set an example for the others and repeal their blasphemy laws. And we call upon all countries to repeal any such laws and to free those detained or convicted for blasphemy," he added.