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“The Danish gunman didn’t target only Mr. Vilks. He targeted all participants in a debate on the relationship between free speech and Islam. This attack shifts the boundary of Islamist offense-taking beyond specific expressions to include critical public debate of Islam and free speech in general. This cancerous “offense creep” of extremist demands is allowing shooters to set the limits of acceptable debate. Without

Jacob Mchangama on freedom of speech and blasphemy. Location: The European Parliament Topic: In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attack, the discussion on the scope of free speech has flared up again. Does the right to freedomof speech also include the right to blasphemy? The purpose of this meeting was to have an open discussion on the unlimited right to freedom of speech on one hand, and the desire to prohibit bl

The Arab Guideline Law for the Prevention of Defamation of Religions, a model blasphemy law introduced by the League of Arab Nations, prohibits blasphemous dancing, singing and miming. But blasphemers beware- criminalisation is possible regardless of whether or not you are a national of an Arab League state or where the irreverent activity was carried out...

In his speech to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 26, the Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi struck out against freedom of expression. Should the international community back further away from freedom of speech and religion, Muslims and religious minorities in societies like Egypt, Pakistan and Iran, have most to lose, write Jacob Mchangama and Aaron Rhodes of the Freedom Rights Project in the Huffington Post.

How should the West react to violent outrage over negative depictions of Islam? In general, the responses from Western governments have combined condemnations of violence with expressions of sympathy for Islamists and understanding of their sensitivity. It is time to put an end to excuses, writes Jacob Mchangama of the Freedom Rights Project in National Review Online.