Hillary's Religious Freedom Speech
Gary Lane from CBN News has posted a report about Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton's recent speech about religious freedom, which also may have implications about the release of Asia Bibi. Here is a segment of Gary Lane's report:
In Istanbul, she praised the OIC and EU for their support in passing Resolution 1618 at the recent meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
She said it shows that “the international community is taking a strong stand for freedom of expression and worship, and against discrimination and violence based upon religion or belief.”
The U.N. resolution protects individuals rather than a particular religion and is viewed as an initial step against archaic blasphemy laws like Pakistan’s 295, which prohibits the free speech rights of citizens to criticize Islam, Mohammed, or the Koran.
Pakistan's 295 was used against Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi, who is still confined to a prison cell near Faisalabad and faces execution for defending her faith to Muslim co-workers more than two years ago.
Resolution 1618 is a clear repudiation of that law and the annual efforts of Pakistan and other Islamic nations to pass a defamation of religion resolution at the U.N.
Will Secretary Clinton’s remarks bring about the release of Asia Bibi, changes in Pakistan and elsewhere? Probably not. But she should be commended for taking a strong, public stance—in an Islamic nation--for religious freedom and tolerance.