An Egyptian parliament member introduced a bill to repeal an article of the penal code related to the charge of “contempt of religion,” for which several public figures were handed down prison sentences in recent months. Lawmaker Mona Mounir said Article 98 of the penal code contradicts the constitution’s articles on freedom of belief and freedom of thought and opinion. Article 98 punishes, by no less than six months and up to five years in prison, those who “exploit religion in promoting or favoring verbally or in writing or by any other means any extremist ideologies with the aim of provoking sedition, disparaging or contempt of one of the divine religions or any sects belonging to it or harming national unity or social peace.” Several people have been handed down prison sentences in high profile cases for “contempt of religion”, including Egyptian journalist and writer Fatma Naoot and religious researcher and TV host Islam al-Beheiry. Beheiry was sentenced to one year, down from five before he appealed the verdict. He stirred controversy with his show “With Islam” especially after al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s foremost religious institution, accused him of broadcasting ideas…
