New Greek govt tables bill that reintroduces criminal offense for malicious blasphemy of religion

The Greek government will move to stiffen penalties for certain offenses  in the country’s penal code, while also including a re-institution of the offense of malicious blasphemy of religion, which was eliminated from the law books by the preceding leftist government days before the latter lost a general election.

In detailing the center-right government’s proposal penal code revisions, relevant Justice Minister Costas Tsiaras told Parliament deputies that the re-instituted offense – if ratified by a Parliament majority – will foresee a maximum penalty of two years prison time. The revision cover malicious blasphemy of the Orthodox Church “or any religion accepted in Greece”.