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...says the group's director, Michael Nugent. "There are other countries that do have blasphemy laws from bygone eras that are on the statute books but not enforced. Ireland is the only Western liberal democracy that is introducing new blasphemy laws in the 21st century." In a statement last year, Dawkins said, "The new blasphemy law will send Ireland back to the Middle Ages. It is wretched, backward and uncivilized...
...campaign to clarify the law instead, defining blasphemy as any statement "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion" and adding a fine of up to $34,000 for offenders. And despite public protests against the updated measure, Parliament passed it last year. According to Ahern's office, the minister felt that recasting the law was the only viable option. However, his office pointed out that the new law has an exception that should comfort artists like those featured in the blasphemy exhibition: it provides for a defense in cases of materials "that a reasonable...
When Roxana Saberi packed her bags for Iran in 2003, she could not have anticipated that part of her six-year stay would include five months in the country's most notorious prison. When her press credentials were suddenly revoked in 2006 (after years of filing reports for foreign news organizations), she chose to stay in the country she had grown to love and work on a book instead. Then on Jan. 31, 2009, four men forced her from her home, accused her of being a spy and placed her in solitary confinement in Evin Prison. She was heavily interrogated...
...Joanna Kontiza, a 33-year-old pharmacist, says she is happy Europe is coming to Greece's rescue but is losing faith that the current government could address any of the country's deeper problems. "We are angry, but we're not angry with the [European] Union. We are angry with our own people, our leaders," she says. "They see that we have problems, but I see now they are just making changes in the easy way. They don't do the things that will make a difference for the future...
...crisis of this magnitude. But the salary cuts and taxes are starting to bite, and that's souring the mood. Greeks are feeling poor - again - and cutting back their spending. According to the National Confederation of Greek Commerce, retail sales are down 15% to 20% so far this year. Support for the government could soon begin to dissolve too. (See why Greece's debt crisis threatens the euro...