FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: THE VIEW FROM ROME

“One cannot make war (or) kill in the name of one's own religion. To kill in the name of God is an aberration. Freedom of expression must have its limits. Everyone has not only the liberty, but also the obligation, to say what he thinks to help the common good, but this should be done without giving offense, because human dignity should be respected. One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith.

The right to freedom of thought and expression, sanctioned by the Declaration of the Rights of Man cannot imply the right to offend the religious sentiment of believers. This principle applies obviously for any religion. In addition, coexistence calls for a climate of mutual respect to favor peace among men and nations. Moreover, these forms of exasperated criticism or derision of others manifest a lack of human sensitivity and may constitute in some cases an inadmissible provocation."