41 per cent of the Norwegian muslims want to punish blasphemy – Daily

the TNS Gallup on commission from the newspaper Filter News conducted a huge poll of people in Norway that enter to belong to islam.

the Survey, with 600 respondents, of which 470 are immigrants and 130 persons are born in Norway, shows that:

• 65 per cent agree that “the Religious must endure the blasphemy, that is, only meet it with words and discussion.”
• 41% agree that “Blasphemy should be able to allow persons to be punished, also in the Uk”
• 12 percent agree that “In islamic countries should blasphemy be punished, sometimes with death”
• 7 per cent agree that “The one who performs the blasphemy is punishable by death no matter where in the world the person is”

Read the entire survey here.

In all, there are 47 persons who agree in the assertion that blasphemy is punishable by death.

Ten percent of the respondents answered “don’t know”, while 75 per cent of the respondents were strongly disagree with the premise.

Charlie Hebdo

Filter News publish the survey in connection with the toårsmarkeringen of the terror attack on Charlie Hebdo. On Saturday, it is two years since the two terrorists shot and killed 13 people and injured eleven. The terrorists struck against Charlie Hebdo because several caricatures in the magazine has made fun of aspects of islam and Muhammad.

According to Filter News takes the majority of the Norwegian muslims away from terrorism, but points out that what the reaction should be for blasphemy, is more complicated.

the Reactions on the findings in the Filter S survey, are mixed.

Security

All Together, editor in chief of the newspaper the Day, think it is remarkable that the seven percent believe the blasphemy must be punished with death.

- When the muslim community appears to be divided almost at the middle in the question of whether blasphemy should be punished, it is unsettling. The opportunity to engage in religionskritikk that goes into satire and blasphemy is a very central value in our society, and for me, it is surprising that such a large percentage believes this should be punished, ” he says to Filter the News.

Together it has lived with death threats after he in 2006 the pressure Jyllandspostens Muhammad-cartoons in a Norwegian newspaper as it once was called Magazinet.

During a debate on the Radio Dagsnytt18 said Together that he is afraid that Charlie Hebdo is not a single event.

- There are thousands of muslims who have these attitudes, I ask whether it poses a security risk, said Together.

Odd interpretation

Basim Ghozlan, chairman of the board of Rabita mosque, ask questions about whether respondents in the survey have the same interpretation of the claim that blasphemy should be punished.

- I expect that the seven percent do not have a good understanding of what the word blasphemy means. It is open. One can think of the very worst forms of blasphemy, he said during the NRK debate.

To Filter the News says Ghozlan that he believes only a few of them as replies that blasphemy should be punished, in fact, believe that it should be introduced prosecution for religionsfornærmelser in Norway.

- They believe enough that there should be a threshold that prevents that people go loose on someone else’s sacred symbols, not punishment specifically. When I have discussed this with muslims, it has several times proven that they really believe that it is society and not the authorities to crack down on it. It is in muslims ‘ own interest to have freedom of speech. I don’t think they want to tighten the laws and rules when they really think about it, ” he says to Filter the News.

Use numbers caution

Also Anine Kierulf, a postdoctor at Center for human rights, questioning the investigation.

- It is good to get such a survey. It is difficult to debate these questions without clear numbers. But a challenge here is how to interpret the questions. What is blasphemy? If you add a broad definition to the reason, attempt to create hatred against a group because of ethnic or religious affiliation, then it is something else. Blasphemy is blasphemy, ” she explains during Dagsnytt18 debate.

She also believes the definition of what punishment is, it is possible to interpret differently.

- What did they understand with the “punishment” they asked? Is the interpretation in the Qur’an, then you can certainly find out that the death penalty for blasphemy should be maintained, or believed they rettsstatlig the death penalty? Tolkningsrommet such research leaves, it applies not only to this of the muslim, but other ytringsundersøkelser, leaves many matter of opinion, so one must be careful not to use the numbers, ” says Kierulf.