Renowned theatre group has Bible show cancelled after complaints. Padraig Reidy reports
“Blasphemous” play cancelled in UK after protests by religious fundamentalists
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CATEGORY: Europe and Central Asia
Ukraine: “It is all about the right to live in a free country”
As the conflict in Kiev continues to unfold, Ukrainian civil society activists tell Index negotiations and urgent reaction of the international community are vital to resolve the crisis, Andrei Aliaksandrau writes
Greece: When satire cannot be tolerated
A satirical Facebook page created by a blogger to mock a well-known Greek Orthodox monk has resulted in a prison sentence and opened a debate on Greece’s blasphemy laws. Christos Syllas reports
Gagging bill defeat: Britain’s democracy just got worse
The parliamentary struggle over the UK government’s gagging bill, which has overshadowed Westminster in recent months, is all but over. And the end result is bad news for British democracy. Alex Stevenson reports
Meltem Arikan on Gezi Park: “What had happened to turn all this into a war zone?”
Turkish author and playwright Meltem Arikan was amongst a small group of people who was accused by senior Turkish politicians and government sponsored media of being the architects of the Gezi Park demonstrations. Arikan shares her personal account of the events
Atheist Union of Greece protests outdated blasphemy laws
Greece’s Penal Code has been criticised after a court ruled a man guilty of blasphemy for portraying a monk as a pasta-based dish on his Facebook page
Belarus: Political prisoner Ales Bialiatski could walk free
The political prisoner can be “pardoned” if “it is proved the damage he caused with the tax fraud has been repaid.”
Blasphemy is in the eye of the believer
The petition against Maajid Nawaz is deeply offensive, says Padraig Reidy
Ukraine: Press targeted and attacked by police
At least 26 journalists were injured during the clashes between the police and protesters in Kiev, Andrei Aliaksandrau writes
Ireland: Legal threats from Catholic commentators put drag artist Panti in a twist
A gay performer faces legal action after criticising “homophobic” journalists. But does this signal the weakness of traditional views on sexuality? Padraig Reidy reports