Blasphemy Laws, Global Injustice, and the Fight for Free Expression
Blasphemy laws are as predictable as they are destructive—whether it’s Malaysia’s police pursuing an online post, the Taliban facing international charges, or a Catholic group in Indonesia using the same laws to silence criticism. This week, The Unbelief Brief examines these cases and what they reveal about the unrelenting grip of religious authority in legal systems worldwide. Plus, in EXMNA Insights, we explore the hidden toll of Ramadan on women, where societal pressures override religious exemptions, forcing impossible choices between faith, health, and survival.
Unbelief Brief
In Malaysia, police are once again unwisely allocating resources, this time to track down an individual who posted a video to social media that allegedly insulted Islam. The country’s “Department of Islamic Development” filed a complaint over the post, leading to the subsequent official investigation. Though news reports have not referenced the actual content of the video or linked to it, the director-general of the Department stated that it “clearly demeans Islamic teachings.” Though police believe the suspect is no longer in the country, efforts to locate the person are apparently still ongoing. This may be a small step up from arresting people for comments written on fast food receipts, for which Malaysian police demonstrated a strong predilection last year, but not by much.
Meanwhile, nine countries—Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and the UK—have issued a joint statement in support of “the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants against Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.” Some measure of justice in an international setting for the Taliban’s crimes against humanity would be welcome indeed. While it is exceedingly difficult to have any optimism that it will really happen, it remains important for free societies not to fall silent about where they stand.
Finally, according to Human Rights Watch, “... a Catholic group has sought to use the blasphemy law in predominantly Muslim Indonesia.” A company “owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maumere [a town on Flores island in Indonesia]” has reportedly forced hundreds out of their homes in order to build a palm plantation. Shortly thereafter, Cece Geliting, a local salon owner, posted an apparently-since-deleted cartoon to Facebook criticizing this action. This prompted a local Catholic youth group to report him for blasphemy. While blasphemy itself is a non-negotiable pillar of free speech, using such a law in retaliation for a land dispute is a reminder of how malleable these laws are and how easily they can be manipulated for personal gain.
EXMNA Insights
Ramadan is presented as a time of spiritual reflection and self-discipline, yet in practice, it disproportionately burdens women, especially those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. While Islamic teachings technically allow exemptions for them, the reality is that societal, cultural, and religious pressures often force women into fasting regardless of the risks. A just and merciful god would not merely offer an exemption but outright prohibit fasting for expectant and nursing mothers, given that proper nutrition and hydration are fundamental to maintaining a healthy pregnancy and adequate milk supply. Instead, the framework of Ramadan prioritizes public displays of piety over the actual well-being of its followers, placing women in the impossible position of choosing between their health and the judgment of their community.
The expectation that women must fast despite medical concerns is compounded by the immense domestic responsibilities they are expected to shoulder. During Ramadan, women are the primary organizers of pre-dawn and evening meals, ensuring that elaborate spreads are prepared to accommodate the breaking of the fast. This workload often comes at the expense of their own physical and mental well-being, as they must manage long hours in the kitchen while fasting, all to uphold an image of hospitality and devotion. Instead of Ramadan being a time of spiritual enlightenment, for many women, it is a month of exhaustion, stress, and an erasure of their needs in service to tradition.
Further compounding this injustice is the reported increase in domestic violence cases during Ramadan. In some instances, the stress of fasting, combined with financial pressures and heightened family interactions, may contribute to a rise in abusive behavior, with women as the primary victims. That a supposedly sacred month has the potential to increase harm against women is an indictment of the institution itself. If Ramadan truly promoted moral and spiritual betterment, it would not create conditions where women suffer more than any supposed benefits they might receive.
Ultimately, the fundamental structure of Ramadan exposes the absurdity of its supposed spiritual benefits. Rather than a divine decree fostering self-improvement, Ramadan is more about enforcing tradition and cultural identity at the expense of those who bear the greatest burden—women. The relentless expectations placed upon them, from fasting while pregnant to maintaining an exhausting cycle of domestic labor, reveal a system designed not for spiritual enlightenment but for the reinforcement of patriarchal control. If Ramadan were truly about devotion to a merciful god, it would not demand suffering as proof of faith, nor would it perpetuate gendered disparities that undermine the very ideals it claims to uphold.
Until next week,
The Team at Ex-Muslims of North America
P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Share your feedback at [email protected].
