Christians, Jews and Muslims reject repeal of the crime against religious feelings

Representatives of the Catholic Church, Christian confessions, Jews and Muslims in Spain reject in a joint statement the Government’s intention to repeal the crime of offending religious feelings present in the Penal Code.

On September 17, the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts, Félix Bolaños, announced a reform of the Penal Code that includes the repeal of the crime against religious feelings or public ridicule included in its article 525.

The Government defends this modification as a way to give greater space to freedom of expression.

In it joint statementthe different religious confessions express their defense of the right to freedom of expression, but emphasize that “as citizens and believers, we also claim the right of our faithful to be able to live their faith in a climate of respect for religious feelings, protected by others. rights also constitutionally protected, such as the right to religious freedom, freedom of conscience and the right to dignity and moral integrity.”

“These rights, because they are fundamental, cannot prevail one to the detriment of the others, as if one were absolute and the others relative, since all are necessary to sustain the harmony of freedoms,” maintain the religious confessions.

The signatories defend that “the violation of religious freedom has also led to the censorship of freedom of expression, so the comprehensive protection of religious freedom is a guarantee for the full exercise” of this right.

On the other hand, they point out that “the normal acceptance of insults, stereotypes, hurtful jokes and ridicule are sometimes the basis for more serious behaviors to occur.”

Among them they cite “threats, attacks or other types of violent acts against believers and places of worship, acts that, in fact, are growing throughout Europe.”

Furthermore, the different religious denominations offer to dialogue with the Government on this issue “which substantially violates the right to religious freedom” or any other decision that affects religious freedom “through the ordinary channel of the Advisory Commission on Religious Freedom.” .

Finally, they appeal “to the representatives of the different political parties to, acting in conscience, work to defend the universal rights of citizens, which are above ideological options, and to fully protect the fundamental right of freedom.” “religious.”

The joint statement is signed by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE), the Sacred Orthodox Metropolis of Spain and Portugal of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Bishopric of the Orthodox Church of Romania of Spain and Portugal and the Bishopric of the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Spain.

The Orthodox Apostolic Church of Armenia, the Syro-Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (Anglican Communion), the Spanish Evangelical Church, the German-Speaking Evangelical Church of Madrid, the Diocese of Europe have also joined the proposal. of the Church of England, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and the Islamic Commission of Spain.