“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” – Salman Rushdie
In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act – George Orwell

First of all, we need to say that human rights protect human beings: not the ideas that human beings might hold on the origins and subsequent order of the world or any other matter.
What this seems to say first is that what we will refer to as criticism, whether reasoned, satirical or contemptu…ous, of the content of certain beliefs (religion in this case) affronts the dignity of those who believe. Certainly an affront may be felt by a believer encountering some form of criticism. In the defence of such ‘affronts’, we should say that human progress has been built on the replacement of untenable ideas by more solidly-based versions, even though in the process there is a chance that sound ideas will have been attacked by proponents of the unsound. This is the challenging intellectual environment that freedom of expression seeks to defend. Dignity in the defence of one’s views involves the potential for dignified withdrawal from a position that proves indefensible. It certainly calls for tolerance of those who criticise or attack one’s views.
Article Eighteen supports the right to believe and proclaim belief in anything we choose, whether stupid or wise. There is no restriction of freedom contained in criticism: quite the opposite. Criticism offers the freedom to change one’s views, or retain them if one so chooses. The suggestion that incitement to religious violence is implicit in criticism of religion is more problematic. This seems to mean that a critical assault on religion might be followed by a physical assault on the adherents of a religion by the supporters of the criticism. Those who drafted and supported the resolutions may be able to cite instances in which it is completely provable that verbal attacks on ideas, as such, incited subsequent physical attacks on people and property. Be that as it may, what is definitely likely is that the adherents of a criticized religion might attack the critics. What is certain is that communal violence based on religious disputes is sadly common in many parts of the world. What needs to be asked is whether freedom of expression should be curtailed in matters of religion because religions harbour so many hotheads and bigots? Frankly, responding to criticism, or even insult, with violence is regressive and cannot form the basis for any interpretation of human rights.
Indonesia signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on February 23 2006. With the arrest of and charges brought against of Alex Aan, they are violating articles 18 and 19 of that agreement, amongst other articl…es. They have the power to have these charges dropped, but have not yet chosen to do so. Why? The government is made of primarily Muslim members. They WANT him to spend 5 years in prison. They WANT to use him as an example, to keep other Indonesian citizens ‘in line’, to keep their mouths shut.
Each and every one of the members sitting in government are also very much afraid of the fanatical Muslim groups such as the FPI, who very much want to institute shariah law in Indonesia. Which is why every time these groups murder somebody, harass other religious groups, harass businesses etc, they spend no time in jail. No charges are brought against these religious lunatics. They literally get away with murder, with the police and government looking the other way.
When Indonesian government signs international agreements under the UN, that would fall under International Law. The last time we checked, Indonesia was not it’s own planet, that then makes the Indonesian government look like liars and manipulators. They sign an international agreement, make a promise to the International communion, and then run around and give everybody the finger and say ‘Fuck you, we will do whatever we want to’. Nice….and very typical.
Alexander Aan, a civil servant in Dharmasraya, West Sumatra, was beaten and charged with blasphemy after writing “God does not exist” on his Facebook page. An enforced disappearance is a crime against humanity which must never to be repeated in history.
The response has ranged from condemnation by several international organizations to support by local citizens and the Indonesian Council of Ulema. Many people have invoked the first principle of Pancasila, the state ideology, to make the argument that atheism — and Alexander — have no place in Indonesia.
I am obliged to speak. For the Indonesia is under threat of Islam. As I have argued many times, Islam is chiefly an ideology. An ideology of hatred, of destruction, of conquest. It is my strong conviction that Islam is a threat to values of our founding father, to freedom of speech, to the equality of men and women, of heterosexuals and homosexuals, of believers and unbelievers.
All over the world we can see how freedom is fleeing from Islam. Day by day we see our freedoms dwindle.
We must live in the truth, said the dissidents under Communist rule, because the truth will set us free. Truth and freedom are inextricably connected. We must speak the truth because otherwise we shall lose our freedom. Alex Aan is risking his life in defense of freedom in his own homeland. Of all our achievements freedom is the most precious and the most vulnerable. Many have given their lives for freedom. We have been reminded of that in the commemorations of the independence. But the struggle for freedom is much older.
The trial is not about Alex Aan only. It is about something much greater. Freedom of expression is the life source of our progressive tailored civilization.
Do not let that source go dry just to cosy up to a totalitarian regime. “Freedom”, said the American President Dwight Eisenhower, “has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.”
I have spoken, I speak, and it is my duty – I cannot do otherwise – to continue to speak. -Geert Wilder-




