Alliance seek repeal of 'archaic' blasphemy laws - despite no record of prosecutions in NI's history
The Alliance Party says it will seek to repeal “archaic” blasphemy laws – bringing Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK.
Blasphemy remains a technical common law offence in the province – despite many legal experts arguing it was made utterly redundant by the 1998 Human Rights Act, and there being no records of prosecutions since the state was founded.
Westminster abolished the offence in England and Wales in 2008, however the change did not apply here as it was decided it should be a matter for Stormont.
Now, Alliance MLA Connie Egan MLA has submitted an amendment to Justice Minister Naomi Long’s Justice Bill to “repeal common law offences that criminalise blasphemy in Northern Ireland” – saying their existence undermines global efforts to repeal such laws.
After submitting her proposal, the North Down MLA said: “Blasphemy laws have no place in modern society and Northern Ireland is the only place across these islands that still has these archaic offences, dating back to the 1800s, on the books.
“It is time for Northern Ireland to join its neighbours in repealing blasphemy laws. These laws are not only outdated and unused, but they also violate the right to freedom of speech and expression, and infringe upon the right to freedom of religion or belief.
“The presence of blasphemy laws here also undermines global efforts to repeal them worldwide and so not only is this the right thing to do, it will also send out an important message about our stance to other regions where blasphemy laws are still punitive.
“This has long been a priority of Alliance, as a party that is committed to the freedom of, and freedom from religion”
In the 2000s, the Westminster Select Committee on Religious Offences noted in a report that blasphemy in Northern Ireland came from the common law of Ireland, when the whole island was part of the UK.
However, it said that it was arguable that the offence did not survive the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland by the Irish Church Act of 1869 – and that there had been no reported prosecution for blasphemy in NI since the state was created in 1921.