The Orca’s Thumb

A commission from Islamic nations composed a new Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights, which they claim to be complementary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights given to us by the UN 60 years ago.

Austin Dacey and Colin Koproske have dissected the Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights and it certainly looks like a deceitful demand for the imposition of religious tyranny, carried out by devious tactics, like providing English translations that water down the religious restrictions imposed in the original Arabic:

Original: Everyone may think, believe and express his ideas and beliefs without interference or opposition from anyone as long as he obeys the limits [hudud] set by the shari’ah. It is not permitted to spread falsehood [al-batil] or disseminate that which involves encouraging abomination [al-fahisha] or forsaking the Islamic community [takhdhil li'l-umma].

Keep in mind that many Islamic fundamentalists believe that one is justified in killing apostates, and the Arabic version permits that to continue. Following is the English translation:

Translation: Every person has the right to express his thoughts and beliefs so long as he remains within the limits prescribed by the Law. No one, however, is entitled to disseminate falsehood or to circulate reports that may outrage public decency, or to indulge in slander, innuendo, or to cast defamatory aspersions on other persons.

One is general and secular, the other is prioritizing a set of specific limits defined by discriminatory religious law. This is like any “academic freedom” bill that stipulates only the teaching of “scientific alternatives to evolution.”

It’s a dishonest attempt to reduce support for genuine human rights, and you really should read the whole thing. This declaration really is nothing but an open attempt to protect the privilege of religion to violate human rights in the name of imaginary sky fairies.

For further evidence of the Islamic nations’ support for human rights, consider the incident this past summer, when they demanded the Netherlands extradite anti-Islamic politician Geert Wilders and turn them over to him for punishment. Not that Wilders had ever been to any of their countries, oh no; they just think they should have jurisdiction over the entire world to punish anyone who says anything uncomplimentary about Islam.