Arab countries drafting religious defamation law to prosecute non-resident violators

The Arab countries are reportedly working on drafting a religious defamation law, which would allow them to prosecute even the non-resident violators.

Under the draft, presented by Qatar, all forms of defamation, derision or denigration of religions and prophets will be considered crimes.

The Qatari justice ministry assistant undersecretary for legal affairs, Ebrahim Mousa Al Hitmi said that the main feature of the draft is that it gives every state the right to put on trial those who abuse and hold in contempt religions even if they are outside the country, Gulf News reports.

Al Hitmi explained that all penal laws in Arab countries criminalise defamation of religions but there are no specific sanctions when an abuser is outside the country adding that the law does not interfere with the freedom of opinion and expression.

The draft is being reviewed by delegates from several Arab countries at the Arab League, the report added.