,,iii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #deh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #ai1 #bjai,mr4 ,lankford 7for himself and ,mr4 ,coons7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,calling for the global repeal of blasphemy1 heresy1 and apostasy laws4 ,whereas ,article #ah of the ,international ,declaration of ,human ,rights states that everyone has the right to freedom of thought1 conscience and religion2 this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief1 and freedom1 either alone or in community with others and in public or private1 to manifest his religion or belief in teaching1 practice1 worship and observance2 ,whereas many countries continue to have criminal blasphemy laws and punish people who engage in expression deemed by the government to be blasphemous1 heretical1 apostate1 defamatory of religion1 or insulting to religion or to religious symbols1 figures1 or feelings1 and such punishment can include fines1 imprisonment1 and capital punishment including by beheading2 ,whereas blasphemy laws have affected ,christians1 ,muslims1 ,hindus1 ,baha'i1 secularists1 and many other groups1 are inconsistent with international human rights standards because they establish and promote official religious orthodoxy and dogma over individual liberty1 and often result in violations of the freedoms of religion1 thought1 and expression that are protected under international instruments1 including ,articles #ah and #ai of the ,international ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights 7,,iccpr72 ,whereas the ,united ,nations ,human ,rights ,committee stated in ,general ,comment #cd that prohibitions of displays of lack of respect for a religion or other belief system1 including blasphemy laws1 are incompatible with the ,,iccpr42 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,commission on ,international ,religious ,freedom 7,,uscirf7 has found that blasphemy charges are often based on false accusations1 are used for sectarian or political purposes1 and foster religious intolerance1 discrimination1 and violence2 ,whereas ,,uscirf has found that at least #gj countries had blasphemy laws as of #bjah2 ,whereas these laws were present in #ah ,middle ,east and ,north ,african countries1 #h countries in the ,americas1 #ah ,asia-,pacific countries1 #ad ,european countries1 and #ab ,sub-,saharan ,african countries2 ,whereas the ,pew ,research ,center found that countries with laws against blasphemy1 apostasy1 or defamation of religion were more likely to have severe governmental restrictions on religion1 and to experience social hostilities based on religion1 than countries that did not have such laws2 ,whereas restrictive laws beyond those penalizing blasphemy1 heresy1 and apostasy further limit religious freedom1 such as extremism laws-- 7#a7 in ,russia that have been used to ban ,jehovah's ,witnesses as an extremist organization and fueled persecution of this religious group2 7#b7 in ,china1 to arbitrarily detain an estimated #hjj1jjj to #b1jjj1jjj ,uighur ,muslims in internment camps because they followed ,islamic rituals and practices2 and 7#c7 in ,north ,korea1 to detain an estimated #ej1jjj to #gj1jjj ,christians in labor camps because they followed the tenets of ,christianity2 ,whereas an international group of experts convened by the ,office of the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,human ,rights recommended in #bjab that states that have blasphemy laws should repeal them as such laws have a stifling impact on the enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief and healthy dialogue and debate about religion42 ,whereas blasphemy laws are inconsistent with ,united ,nations resolutions adopted by consensus since #bjaa recognizing that religious intolerance is best fought through positive measures1 such as education1 outreach1 and counter-speech1 and that criminalization of speech is warranted only for the prevention of imminent violence2 ,whereas1 according to the annual religious freedom report published by the ,department of ,state in #bjae1 attackers in ,bangladesh killed five allegedly anti-,islamic or secularist writers and publishers1 and injured three others2 ,whereas1 in response to these killings1 the ,home ,minister of ,bangladesh1 rather than condemning the murders1 called on bloggers and others to refrain from writings that could hurt the religious feelings of others and added that violators of the warning would be subject to prosecution under the restrictive religious freedom laws of ,bangladesh2 ,whereas a #bjaf report by ,,uscirf on ,bangladesh found that religious and civil society groups fear that increasing religious extremism will result in more criminal attacks and threats2 ,whereas restrictive religious freedom laws validate and promote social violence targeted at religious minorities and dissenters1 whether ,christian1 ,muslim1 secularist1 or other2 ,whereas ,,uscirf has found that in ,pakistan1 blasphemy laws have been used to prosecute and persecute ,muslims1 ,christians1 secularists1 and others2 ,whereas1 according to a ,pew ,center report on religion and public life1 ,pakistan stands out for having one of the highest levels of restrictions on religion when both government restrictions and social hostilities are taken into account2 ,whereas ,,uscirf has found egregious examples of the enforcement of blasphemy laws and vigilante violence connected to blasphemy allegations in ,pakistan1 where blasphemy charges are common and numerous individuals are in prison1 with a high percentage sentenced to death or to life in prison2 ,whereas1 as of ,may #bjah1 ,,uscirf was aware of approximately #dj individuals on death row for blasphemy in ,pakistan or serving life sentences2 ,whereas ,asia ,bibi was sentenced to death for blasphemy in #bjaj and was held on death row for #h years1 until the ,supreme ,court of ,pakistan overturned her conviction in #bjah1 and has since received asylum in ,canada2 ,whereas ,pakistan selectively enforces the blasphemy law against minority religious groups1 including specifically targeting the ,ahmadis1 such as ,abdul ,shakoor1 an #hb-year old bookseller who was recently released after serving four years in prison on blasphemy charges2 ,whereas blasphemy laws in ,pakistan have fostered a climate of impunity1 as those who falsify evidence go unpunished and allegations often result in violent mob attacks or assassinations1 with little to no police response2 ,whereas1 in #bjag1 the ,christian ,governor of ,jakarta1 ,indonesia1 was convicted for blasphemy of ,islam and sentenced to two years in jail2 ,whereas several countries that maintained blasphemy laws have recently taken steps towards removing these provisions1 including ,greece1 ,ireland1 and ,canada2 ,whereas blasphemy laws in the ,united ,states were invalidated by the adoption of the ,first ,amendment to the ,constitution1 which protects the freedoms of thought1 conscience1 expression1 and religious exercise2 and ,whereas the ,united ,states has become a beacon of religious freedom and tolerance around the world3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 recognizes that blasphemy1 heresy1 and apostasy laws inappropriately position governments as arbiters of religious truth and empower officials to impose religious dogma on individuals or minorities through the power of the government or through violence sanctioned by the government2 7#b7 calls on the ,president and the ,secretary of ,state to make the repeal of blasphemy1 heresy1 and apostasy laws a priority in the bilateral relationships of the ,united ,states with all countries that have such laws1 through direct interventions in bilateral and multilateral fora2 7#c7 encourages the ,president and the ,secretary of ,state to oppose-- 7,a7 any efforts1 by the ,united ,nations or by other international or multilateral fora1 to create an international anti-blasphemy norm1 such as the defamation of religions resolutions introduced in the ,united ,nations between #aiii and #bjaj2 and 7,b7 any attempts to expand the international norm on incitement to include blasphemy or defamation of religions2 7#d7 supports efforts by the ,united ,nations to combat intolerance1 discrimination1 or violence against persons based on religion or belief without restricting expression1 including ,united ,nations ,human ,rights ,council ,resolution #af_/ah 7#bjaa7 and the ,istanbul ,process meetings pursuant to such resolution1 that are consistent with the ,first ,amendment to the ,constitution2 7#e7 calls on the ,president and the ,secretary of ,state to designate countries that enforce blasphemy1 heresy1 or apostasy laws as countries of particular concern for religious freedom under section #djb7;b77#a77;,a77ii7 of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fddb7;b77#a77;,a77ii77 for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom1 as a result of the abuses flowing from the enforcement of such laws and from unpunished vigilante violence often generated by blasphemy allegations2 7#f7 urges the governments of countries that enforce blasphemy1 heresy1 or apostasy laws to amend or repeal such laws1 as they provide pretext and impunity for vigilante violence against religious minorities2 and 7#g7 urges the governments of countries that have prosecuted1 imprisoned1 and persecuted people on charges of blasphemy1 heresy1 or apostasy to release such people unconditionally and1 once released1 to ensure their safety and that of their families4