A European Union Human Rights court has determined that insulting Mohammed is not protected free speech as it may "stir up prejudice and put at risk religious peace".
The case stemmed from a seminar conducted by an Austrin defendant known as Mrs. S. where she "defamed" Mohammed by correctly claiming that he married his second wife, Aisha, when she was merely six years old and consummated their marriage when she turned nine. She claimed that this was evidence that the Prophet of Islam had pedophilic tendencies. Regardless of the truth of the statement, the court found that making the statement was prejudicial against individuals who may have their religious feeling hurt.
The judgement can be read here, it's short (for a judicial decision) and worth the read if you're so inclined.
I guess we'll see how long the truth can remain hidden, at least in Europe.
Basically then, blasphemy laws have made their way back to the European continent, difference being though, it is now strictly Islam that cannot, under penalty of law, be insulted. Will this further empower radical muslims to report, or perhaps do worse, people who they deemed to have offended them? Most certainly, yes.
Freedom of speech, as it were, throughout Europe, now takes a backseat to whether or not someone feels offended if their religion is the subject of demeaning dialogue, whether true or not. Jesus Christ, that's screwed up.
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