(WiPC/IFEX) – The following is a WiPC press release: Victory for free expression in British parliament The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN, the world association of writers representing member Centres in 99 countries, congratulates the English PEN Centre on its successful campaign that played a central role in the 31 January acceptance of […]
(WiPC/IFEX) – The following is a WiPC press release:
Victory for free expression in British parliament
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN, the world association of writers representing member Centres in 99 countries, congratulates the English PEN Centre on its successful campaign that played a central role in the 31 January acceptance of amendments to the Religious Hatred Bill. Without these amendments, the Bill would have made it illegal to express provocative views on religions.
Although the new law on religious hatred will still come into effect, it will do so in a “watered-down” version. Words and behaviour that are clearly intended to incite hatred against religions will be criminalised, but comments that are merely insulting, abusive or critical will be safe from prosecution.
On 1 February 2006, the English PEN Centre issued the following press release:
ENGLISH PEN WELCOMES NEW PROTECTIONS FOR FREE SPEECH
“Reason won the day, not recalcitrant rebels”
English PEN warmly welcomes the result of last night’s commons vote on the Religious Hatred Bill in the House of Commons, which accepts the rigorous Amendments to the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. This is a triumph for English PEN, its members and others who have campaigned forcefully in the year-long battle to defend freedom of expression and to ensure it remains at the heart of British democracy. Last night’s result was a triumph for reason and rational argument and not, as the Government would have it, for a handful of recalcitrant rebels trying to spite the Prime Minister.
With last night’s amendments in place, the Bill now balances the interests of religious groups against those of free expression. The legal loophole which Muslims and others felt did not afford them the same protection as Christians, Sikhs and Jews has now been closed. It will now be criminal to publish posters showing women of many colours in hijabs with the slogan ‘Muslims go home’ and English PEN welcomes this commitment to our plural society. The intention to incite hatred on religious grounds by using threatening words or images will remain a criminal act.
However, the new law confirms the freedom of writers, comedians, artists and dramatists to create imaginative works or use language which may criticize or ridicule, cause offence and insult, or robustly debate any aspect of religion or religious practice. This sophisticated Bill makes the continued existence of the Blasphemy Law absolutely insupportable. Now that all religions are afforded equal status there can be no excuse for an archaic law which protects only Christians.
Lisa Appignanesi, writer and English PEN’s Deputy President who has led the PEN campaign says:
“I am thrilled. This is the best result we could have hoped for. It restores my faith in Parliamentary democracy. We have lobbied and written, which is what writers do best. The Opposition has done battle. The Labour dissidents have listened. The Lords have used their very great legislative experience to curb the excesses of the Bill. And Parliamentary democracy has made the Government accept the concerns we all shared. We now have a Bill which rigorously enshrines our freedom of expression in the PEN amendment we had sought.”
Nicholas Hytner, Director of the National Theatre, says: “Parliament has reaffirmed its attachment to freedom of expression and has slapped down a Government that has been too ready to sacrifice it. The Government should now rise to the occasion and demonstrate its stated opposition to religious discrimination by repealing the Blasphemy Laws.”
Hari Kunzru, author of Transmission, says: “I was very happy to wake up to this news. The Government’s loss is Britain’s gain: a bad law has been made as good as possible due to the hard work of campaigners for freedom of expression. This defeat should be another signal to the Government that in its disregard for civil liberties, it’s losing touch with the mainstream of British opinion.”
Hanif Kureishi, author of The Buddha of Suburbia says: “This is an amazing result and a great achievement for writers and intellectuals when they unite.”
Philip Pullman, prize-winning author of His Dark Materials, says: “The Commons vote last night shows how thoughtful argument, skillfully deployed in the service of a good cause, can still beat arrogant short-term political jerry-building. The episode also shows that if we want to guard freedom of expression, we can’t relax our vigilance for a minute. Those who think such freedom is a soft luxury, and well worth giving up in order to curry favour with whatever group has the votes they want, will come back another day and from another direction in order to destroy it; those of us who know it’s a hard necessity must be ready for them.”
Salman Rushdie, author of Midnight’s Children, says: “There are moments when one is profoundly grateful for, and proud of, British Parliamentary democracy. This is one of them.”
English PEN is grateful to Evan Harris MP and Dominic Grieve MP, who rallied the Opposition, and Lords Lester, Hunt, Plant and Carey, whose amendments have done so much to defend our basic rights.
Free Expression is No Offence: The Book that helped to win the Battle!
Visit: http://www.englishpen.ord/aboutenglishpen/campaigns/offence/www.englishpen.ord/ aboutenglishpen/campaigns/offence/ to read more about the No Offence Campaign.
