Submission: Against the crime of blasphemy

The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties has made the following submission to the Crimes Amendment Bill.

The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties supports the repeal of section 123 of the Crimes Act, thereby abolishing the crime of blasphemous libel.

The crime of blasphemous libel is an unwarranted restriction on the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, both protected by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.