Norwegian Blogger Posts Anti-Islam Cartoon

Local Editor

In the series of anti-Islam moves, a Norwegian writer and commentator of Syrian origin has published a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed on her blog in what she said was a show of support for freedom of speech.

The drawing posted by Sarah Mats Azmeh Rasmussen shows a bearded man standing next to three people, including two women who are almost entirely veiled, with the caption: "If you do not like to be drawn, cover yourself, Prophet."

The writer, who claims to be "an author and human rights activist with a Muslim background", said on her blog that she wanted to show her solidarity with satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo.
The French newspaper's cartoon escalated anger in the Muslim world, where global protests erupted last month over a US-"Israeli" anti-Islam film.

"It is not only necessary to explain and defend freedom of speech and expression, but there is definitely a need for even more cartoons of the Islamic Prophet drawn by Muslims, so the point becomes clearer: it is not a conflict between East and West or Muslims and Christians," Rasmussen wrote.

Rasmussen previously hit the headlines in 2009 when she burnt a hijab in public on International Women's Day.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org