Justice Minister Costas Tsiaras announced the withdrawal of the Blasphemy Laws following widespread opposition and a public outcry, especially on social media. The laws would punish those committing “malicious blasphemy” with up to two years in prison.
Speaking to Skai TV on Tuesday, Tsiaras said that the proposal has been withdrawn from the relevant draft legislation that is to be voted next in the Greek Parliament.
He stressed that he did not want the substance to be lost and that as long as there were so many reactions, the provision would be withdrawn.
“I am very concerned. I am not hiding that after the noise that has been caused, there is a great deal of concern and it is certainly an issue that I see with great care. We will see from now on how it will evolve, ” Tsiaras said.
The Justice Minister attributed the provision to the governmental “effort to protect the rights of religious minorities.” He argued that the motive were “the negative developments in the Greek society” depriving of the “confrontation between migrants’ groups who settle [from the islands] to the mainland and create tension.”
The blasphemy laws would include not only the official Greek Orthodox religion of the country but also all religions officially tolerated in Greece.”
The Blasphemy Laws were abolished under the left-wing government of SYRIZA five months ago.
It is a wonder that conservative and church-close New Democracy withdraws the provision despite the support expressed by the Greek Orthodox Church.
Greece’s religious leader, Archbishop Ieronymos, had welcomed the return of the Blasphemy Laws saying that it would “help preserving the religious sentiment of the faithful.”
Worth mentioning that Greeks love to swear in their everyday life and on each occasion, with their favorites courses to involve Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary.
The argument of Justice minister does not make much of a sense and it is hardly convincing. Would he reinstate the law for the sake of difference religious groups of migrants? And he would send them to prison for the “malicious blasphemy” of each other’s religion? Hardly…
In contrast, the usual mean Greeks claim that the blasphemy law would most likely target websites and posts on social media. In 2014, when the law was still in effect, courts sentenced a Greek satirical blogger to 10-month imprisonment for “insulting” religious figure Elder Paisios
LOL. Do you think the government reads KTG?