rluipa : blaineamendments : lankaliberty : freepreach   

Lina Joy's Conversion Forbidden by Malaysian High Court

May 30, 2007

Decision Violates Malaysian and International Law

Today the Federal Court of Malaysia refused to recognize Lina Joy's conversion from Islam to Christianity, a decision with grave consequences for religious freedom in Malaysia.

"This decision violates international law and stands in wrongheaded defiance of the universal human right to religious freedom," said Angela Wu, International Director for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who attended a hearing for Ms. Joy and has testified before the United States Congress on anti-conversion laws. "International law and the Malaysian Constitution guarantee the right to choose your own religious beliefs and change those beliefs according to your conscience. Today the Federal Court made it clear that if the state says you are a Muslim, those rights don't apply to you. Unfortunately for Lina Joy, a universal human right has been trumped by the state's insistence that she bow to sharia law."

The Becket Fund has issued a legal opinion on the case. For links to this and other resources, scroll down.

Case Page: http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/case/107.html

Legal Analysis: http://www.becketfund.org/files/12abd.pdf

Angela Wu in the Wall Street Journal on Lina Joy (6-01-07):
http://www.becketfund.org/files/c8589.pdf

Angela Wu in the Wall Street Journal on Lina Joy (9-08-06):  http://www.becketfund.org/files/e5c0e.pdf

Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to the Becket Fund

Resources & Documents

Relevant Cases

Printer-Friendly | Send to a Friend
Recent Posts from the Becket Fund International Religious Freedom News Blog
Further Reading: Iranian Government Prohibits New Year Celebration
Israel: Knesset Passes Limited Civil Union Bill
Switzerland: Muslim Groups Seek Separate Cemeteries
Ireland: Government to Hold Referendum on Blasphemy Law
Morocco: Government Deports Foreign Nationals For Proselytizing
THE ISSUES
Newsletters
International
Property Rights
Schools
Prisons
Employment
Associations
Public Square
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
3000 K St. NW, Suite 220, Washington, D.C. 20007
phone: 202.955.0095 · fax: 202.955.0090