the two-way: Scott Neuman.
Russia’s parliament has given preliminary approval to an anti-blasphemy bill that would make it a crime to offend religious feelings.
The BBC reports that the bill was drafted last year after members of the punk band Pussy Riot used Moscow’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral to perform a protest song against President Vladimir Putin.
Blasphemy against religions considered “an integral part of Russia’s historical inheritance” could mean three years in jail and a fine of nearly $10,000, under the bill. The BBC says it is likely to cover Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism.
Categories: Blasphemy, Law, Law and Religion, Russia