Iran to Punish Apostasy with Death

[nhboy (Premo)]

"Apostasy -- or the formal renunciation of religion -- is already punishable in Iran with death. But now, Iran wants to make the death penalty for apostasy part of the penal code. The European Union is concerned and has asked Iran to reconsider.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad doesn't take kindly to Western criticism of his country's legal practices.
The European Union this week sent a letter to authorities in Iran expressing its concern over a proposed change to the penal code that would make apostasy punishable by death.

The EU is responding to news that the Islamic Republic is planning to subject "apostasy, heresy and witchcraft" to the Hudud -- the body of fixed punishments assigned to crimes that are considered violations of the "claims of God." Other Hadud crimes include alcohol consumption, theft, highway robbery and illegal sexual intercourse.

As the news agency Reuters reported earlier this week, the EU, which opposes the death penalty as a matter of policy, expressed "acute concern" over the proposed penal code revision.

"These articles clearly violate the Islamic Republic of Iran's commitments under the international human rights conventions," Slovenian leaders, who currently head the rotating EU presidency, wrote in a statement.

"The EU calls upon the Iranian authorities, both in government and parliament, to modify the draft penal code in order to respect the obligations."

The death penalty has already been applied to apostates in Iran -- but this was never, since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979, institutionalized as a matter of legal practice.

Iran typically dismisses Western criticism of its legal system, claiming that Islamic law is fundamentally different.

The main concern seems to be arising from the Baha'i faith, which forms a religious minority in Iran but, unlike Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism, is not officially recognized by the regime."

The Price of Faithlessness: Iran to Punish Apostasy with Death - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

[ImnoMensa]

Not to worry. Obama will soon be President and he will talk to them.

Consider the p[roblem solved.

Such a nice civilised country as Iran, I cant wait until they get their first nuclear bomb.

But dont worry Obama can talk to them and solve this whole thing. He says so at every campaign speech. They might not pay any attention to the EU, but they will listen to Hussein Obama.

[Bustem' Down]

Iran could kill people for wearing shoes, I wouldn't care.

[RadioPatrol]

But Islam is the Religion of Peace and Love ..............

[Bustem' Down]

Originally Posted by RadioPatrol

But Islam is the Religion of Peace and Love ..............

That's fine. So was Jim Jones. Like with every religion, it's not the faith, it's the man that's evil.

[ImnoMensa]

Originally Posted by Bustem' Down

That's fine. So was Jim Jones. Like with every religion, it's not the faith, it's the man that's evil.

I dont agree with that one. IMO Islam is the problem. Certainly it is much much more than one man or one preacher.

[Bustem' Down]

Originally Posted by ImnoMensa

I dont agree with that one. IMO Islam is the problem. Certainly it is much much more than one man or one preacher.

Well, it is a stricter religion which allows people to abuse power from it easier but that's no different than early Christianity. What Christianity has that Islam doesn't is The Reformation.

[Mateo]

Originally Posted by ImnoMensa

I dont agree with that one. IMO Islam is the problem. Certainly it is much much more than one man or one preacher.

I agree.Look how the Muslims in Albania have made out the Serbs to be such beasts, making a land grab of Serbian territory permissable and endorsed by us. Gee, I wonder how much more territory they will acquire through proxy. It would serve the EU right if most of it was theirs.
Suppose the" peaceable" ones we have in this country try the same in areas where they are in the majority.... just a thought.

[Kyle (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Mateo

I agree.Look how the Muslims in Albania have made out the Serbs to be such beasts, making a land grab of Serbian territory permissable and endorsed by us. Gee, I wonder how much more territory they will acquire through proxy. It would serve the EU right if most of it was theirs.
Suppose the" peaceable" ones we have in this country try the same in areas where they are in the majority.... just a thought.

Pakistan

[Mateo]

Originally Posted by Bustem' Down

Well, it is a stricter religion which allows people to abuse power from it easier but that's no different than early Christianity. What Christianity has that Islam doesn't is The Reformation.

It is a stricter and very intolerant religion, despite professions of coexistence.
The Ba'Hai have been virtually eradicated in Iran, and I know of Filipinos and Filipinas beheaded in Saudi just for possessing a Christian bible.
They are tolerant when they are in the minority, and our constitution is an aberration to them, hoping to replace it by Sha'ria. (Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR). In countries where Sha'ria is the law, religious minorities are subject to it, and any transgression is punishable .....no surprise, death.
As much as Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, it should be remembered that religion was not important to him as loyalty to his Baathist cult. He had Christians (who were equal scoundrels) in his administration but women had status and a chance at bettering themselves in Iraq. If Saddam practiced Islam, it was with a secular bent. It looks like it may revert back to the old intolerance.