Majlis proceeds with criminalising defamation
The ruling party-dominated parliament voted today to accept a bill on criminalising defamation and restricting free speech, disregarding forceful international criticism and a free speech campaign by local journalists.
01 Aug 2016, 9:00 AM
The ruling party-dominated parliament voted today to accept a bill on criminalising defamation and restricting free speech, disregarding forceful international criticism and a free speech campaign by local journalists.
After a heated debate, MPs voted 38-28 with one abstention to send the bill to an 11-member ad-hoc committee for further review.
A committee meeting was underway at the time of publication. As ruling party lawmakers have previously indicated that the bill will be fast-tracked, it is likely to be passed into law this week.
Pro-government lawmakers who defended the bill today said defamation and slander are grave sins in Islam. Limits must be placed on freedom of expression to protect other constitutional rights such as the right to protect one’s good name and reputation, they contended.
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