Pope Francis: Freedom of expression is a right “but there are limits”

AP

Pope Francis said on Thursday that freedom of speech has its limits and it can not provoke or offend religion.

“You can not offend or make war, or murder in the name of religion or in the name of God,” the Pontiff told reporters aboard the plane that took him from to Sri Lanka Philippines.

Francisco defended the freedom of expression as a “fundamental human right” and a duty to say what one thinks for the good of all. “But there are limits,” he said.

“There are so many people who speak badly of religions or other religions, who mock on them, taking lightly about the foreign religions,” he said.

The Argentine Pope considered that although now it may surprise what is happening in this field in the past there were wars in which religion played an important role.

The statements of Pope referred to the terrorist attack last week against the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris.