High Court Blocks Blasphemy Case Against the BBC

LONDON, December 5: Britain’s High Court has ruled that the
BBC’s director-general, Mark Thompson, cannot be sued for blasphemy
over the pubcaster’s controversial Jerry Springer—The Opera in 2005.

Stephen Green of the Christian Voice group had been seeking
to sue Thompson for the BBC Two musical satire, which received 63,000
complaints following its broadcast in January 2005. The High Court, in its
ruling, stated that the special had not contravened blasphemy laws. In a
statement welcoming the decision, the BBC explained that it aired Jerry
Springer—The Opera “after the most
careful consideration. We believe the work, taken in its proper context,
satirizes and attacks exploitative chat shows and not the Christian religion.
The Court's judgment today vindicates that decision in full.”

The statement continued: "Today's decision addresses
the way the law of blasphemy applies to broadcasters, and the Court has found
that criminal prosecutions for blasphemy should not be permitted in relation to
broadcasts. This is an important decision in the defense of free speech.”

—By Mansha Daswani