October 18, 2001	Thursday	Rajab 30, 1422

LONDON, Oct 17: British comic Rowan Atkinson voiced concern at plans by the government to enact a religious hatred law, saying its provisions could prevent the lampooning of religious figures, in a letter to the Times, on Wednesday.

Atkinson’s letter came in response to an announcement by Home Secretary David Blunkett to parliament on Monday, that new anti- terrorist legislation, in reaction to the September 11 terror attacks, would include provisions to make inciting religious hatred a criminal offence.

Atkinson, renowned for his Mr Bean and Black Adder roles, said he was “aghast” at the plan which he feared could make it illegal to ridicule religions or make religious jokes.

He received immediate support from satirist Rory Bremner, renowned in Britain for his impersonations of Prime Minister Tony Blair, and from cartoonist Gerald Scarfe.

Atkinson said in his letter: “I have always believed that there should be no subject about which one cannot make jokes, religion included. For telling a good and incisive religious joke, you should be praised.

“For telling a bad one, you should be ridiculed and reviled. The idea that you could be prosecuted for the telling of either is quite fantastic.”

Although the proposed legislation might not be aimed at comedians, “laws governing highly subjective or moral issues tend to drag a very fine net, and some of the most basic freedoms of speech and expression can get caught up in it”, Atkinson said.—dpa