Blasphemous libel

Blasphemous libel

Blasphemous libel was a common law criminal offence in England and Wales. However, it was abolished on 8 July 2008 by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.

In New Zealand it is illegal under the Crimes Act 1961 (Section 123) to publish any blasphemous libel. The maximum punishment is one year imprisonment. No one can be prosecuted without the consent of the Attorney General.

In Canada, Blasphemous Libel is an indictable offence under section 296(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada. It is punishable by up to 2 years in prison.

It is a defence in both Canada and New Zealand that the accused was expressing an opinion on a religious subject provided that it is expressed in good faith and in decent language: "It is not an offence against this section to express in good faith and in decent language, or to attempt to establish by arguments used in good faith and conveyed in decent language, any opinion whatever on any religious subject."

ee also

*Blasphemy law in the United Kingdom
*Seditious libel
*Slander and libel


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • blasphemous libel — noun (law) Blasphemy against the Christian faith • • • Main Entry: ↑blaspheme …   Useful english dictionary

  • blasphemous libel — A libel of God or Christianity published with intent to insult or subvert religious belief. See Paine s Age of Reason …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Libel (disambiguation) — Slander and libel are false or malicious claims that may harm someone s reputation.Libel may also refer to:* Libel (film) (1959), a British drama film * Libel (poetry), a verse genre primarily of the Renaissance * Libel, a village in the Rychnov… …   Wikipedia

  • Libel — Li bel (l[imac] b[e^]l), n. [L. libellus a little book, pamphlet, libel, lampoon, dim. of liber the liber or inner bark of a tree; also (because the ancients wrote on this bark), paper, parchment, or a roll of any material used to write upon, and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • libel — I. noun Etymology: Middle English, written declaration, from Anglo French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book Date: 14th century 1. a. a written statement in which a plaintiff in certain courts sets forth the cause of action or the… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Criminal libel — is a legal term, of English origin, which may be used with one of two distinct meanings, in those common law jurisdictions where it is still used. It is an alternative name for the common law offence which is also known (in order to distinguish… …   Wikipedia

  • Seditious libel — is a criminal offence under English common law. Sedition is the offence of speaking seditious words with seditious intent: if the statement is in writing or some other permanent form it is seditious libel. A statement is seditious if it brings… …   Wikipedia

  • Blasphemy law in the United Kingdom — This article describes the blasphemy law in the United Kingdom. England Wales The common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel were abolished in 2008. See now the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. Before the common law era The… …   Wikipedia

  • Defamation — This article is about the malicious statement. For the 2009 film, see Defamation (film). Libel and Slander redirect here. For other uses, see Libel (disambiguation) and Slander (disambiguation). Vilification and Calumny redirect here. For the… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Nugent — For the American football placekicker, see Mike Nugent. Michael Nugent Born June 1, 1961 (1961 06 01) (age 50) Dublin, Ireland …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”