Penal Code
Article 473- Whoever blasphemes the name of God in public shall be punished with imprisonment from one month to one year.
More DetailsNot Compliant with Standards
Analysis
Under the title of “harming religious feeling,” the Lebanese Penal Code prohibits freedom of criticism and expression in religious matters and it criminalizes in Articles 473 and 474 anyone who blasphemes the name of God or degrades or contempt religious rites, and the penalty is up to three years in prison. The blasphemy provisions of the Lebanese Penal Code are used to limit freedom of artistic expression and the freedom to hold and express opinions. These texts are subject to comments related to elastic phrases, lack of clarity in the legal text and endangering the basis of the right to freedom of expression, in addition to the conflict of the stipulated restrictions with the principles of necessity and proportionality.
Recommendations
It is necessary to repeal texts related to defamation of religions that include elastic phrases that may be misused to restrict freedom of expression, and combine them with articles that prohibit or punish hate speech, provided that the penalties are proportional to the act and necessary in a pluralistic democratic society.
Penal Code
Article 474 (Amended By Law on 1/12/1954 ) - Whoever, by any of the methods stipulated in Article 209, degrades the religious rites that are practiced in public, or incites contempt for one of those r ...
More DetailsNot Compliant with Standards
Analysis
Under the title of “harming religious feeling,” the Lebanese Penal Code prohibits freedom of criticism and expression in religious matters and it criminalizes in Articles 473 and 474 anyone who blasphemes the name of God or degrades or contempt religious rites, and the penalty is up to three years in prison. The blasphemy provisions of the Lebanese Penal Code are used to limit freedom of artistic expression and the freedom to hold and express opinions. These texts are subject to comments related to elastic phrases, lack of clarity in the legal text and endangering the basis of the right to freedom of expression, in addition to the conflict of the stipulated restrictions with the principles of necessity and proportionality.
