World in Fury on Hebdo Anti-Islam Cartoon, France On Precautionary Measures
Local Editor
So-called "freedom of expression" was the pretext behind publishing offensive anti-Islam cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical weekly magazine repeated last year's provocative move by publishing an offensive caricature to Islam and Prophet Mohammad on Wednesday.
The magazine's editor, Stephane Charbonnier, a cartoonist known as Charb, said the images would "shock those who will want to be shocked".
"The freedom of the press, is that a provocation?" he said.
"I'm not asking strict Muslims to read Charlie Hebdo, just like I wouldn't go to a mosque to listen to speeches that go against everything I believe."
Rejecting disapproval on the cartoon, he said that if Charlie Hebdo "stopped printing satirical work because of pressure or fear of offence, it would be reduced to selling 16 blank pages every week."
"We are in a country where freedom of expression is guaranteed, including the freedom to caricature... if people really feel offended in their beliefs and think there has been an infringement of the law -- and we are in a state where laws must be totally respected -- they can go to court," Ayrault said.
Fury Over Cartoon
The French Muslim Council (CFCM), the main body representing Muslims in France accused Charlie Hebdo of firing up anti-Muslim sentiment at a very sensitive time.
"The CFCM is deeply attached to freedom of speech but considers that nothing can justify insult and inciting hatred," it said in a statement, further adding "The CFCM calls on the Muslims of France not to give in to such provocation and urges them to express their indignation calmly and in lawful manner."
Protesting the French step, Al-Azhar in Egypt expressed "its and all Muslims' utmost rejection of the insistence of a French publication in printing caricatures offensive to Islam and its Prophet, the prophet of humanity."
Grand Imam Ahmad al-Tayyeb said in a statement he issued Wednesday that such acts "that fuel hatred in the name of freedom are completely rejected... Freedom should stop (where it affects) other people's freedoms."
On the same note, the Vatican's official daily ‘Osservatore Romano' condemned on Wednesday the French magazine's decision to publish offensive cartoons of Prophet Mohammed as "fuel on the fire".
"The debatable initiative by the French magazine threatens... to add more fuel to the fire after the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi," the newspaper said.
"There is a risk of a new front in the protests," the daily said.
Moreover, the Arab League called the cartoons "provocative and outrageous". It said in a statement that they could increase the volatile situation in the Arab and Islamic worlds since the release of the film.
The League appealed to Muslims offended by the cartoons to "use peaceful means to express their firm rejection."
French Double Standards
Ironically, "freedom of speech" defender, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, said a request to hold a demonstration in Paris would be refused.
Ayrault told RTL radio station on Wednesday that there is "no reason why we should let conflicts which do not concern France come to our country."
Despite appeals for calm by French Muslim leaders, protest rallies are expected to take place in several French cities next Saturday. Ayrault, however, only mentioned banning the one in Paris.
On Sunday, France's Interior Minister Manuel Valls ordered a ban on any further demonstrations against the anti-Islam film made in the United States.
"I have issued instructions so that this does not happen again. These protests are forbidden," Valls said in an interview with France 2 television network.
Valls further said that the government would fight more anti-US protests with "the greatest firmness".
His warning comes only one day after Muslim demonstrators staged a protest outside the US Embassy in Paris and the Interior Ministry to express their outrage at the blasphemous film that depicts Islam as an oppressive religion.
French police made 100 arrests in the capital for attending the anti-US protest.
In less than a week after the anti-Islam film ‘Innocence of Muslims' had caused furious protests worldwide for directly insulting Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), the French magazine follows the lead of the US-"Israeli" made film all under the banner of "speech and opinion freedom".
Source: News Agencies, edited by moqawama.org
So-called "freedom of expression" was the pretext behind publishing offensive anti-Islam cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical weekly magazine repeated last year's provocative move by publishing an offensive caricature to Islam and Prophet Mohammad on Wednesday.
The magazine's editor, Stephane Charbonnier, a cartoonist known as Charb, said the images would "shock those who will want to be shocked"."The freedom of the press, is that a provocation?" he said.
"I'm not asking strict Muslims to read Charlie Hebdo, just like I wouldn't go to a mosque to listen to speeches that go against everything I believe."
Rejecting disapproval on the cartoon, he said that if Charlie Hebdo "stopped printing satirical work because of pressure or fear of offence, it would be reduced to selling 16 blank pages every week."
"We are in a country where freedom of expression is guaranteed, including the freedom to caricature... if people really feel offended in their beliefs and think there has been an infringement of the law -- and we are in a state where laws must be totally respected -- they can go to court," Ayrault said.
Fury Over Cartoon
The French Muslim Council (CFCM), the main body representing Muslims in France accused Charlie Hebdo of firing up anti-Muslim sentiment at a very sensitive time.
"The CFCM is deeply attached to freedom of speech but considers that nothing can justify insult and inciting hatred," it said in a statement, further adding "The CFCM calls on the Muslims of France not to give in to such provocation and urges them to express their indignation calmly and in lawful manner."
Protesting the French step, Al-Azhar in Egypt expressed "its and all Muslims' utmost rejection of the insistence of a French publication in printing caricatures offensive to Islam and its Prophet, the prophet of humanity."
Grand Imam Ahmad al-Tayyeb said in a statement he issued Wednesday that such acts "that fuel hatred in the name of freedom are completely rejected... Freedom should stop (where it affects) other people's freedoms."
On the same note, the Vatican's official daily ‘Osservatore Romano' condemned on Wednesday the French magazine's decision to publish offensive cartoons of Prophet Mohammed as "fuel on the fire".
"The debatable initiative by the French magazine threatens... to add more fuel to the fire after the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi," the newspaper said.
"There is a risk of a new front in the protests," the daily said.
Moreover, the Arab League called the cartoons "provocative and outrageous". It said in a statement that they could increase the volatile situation in the Arab and Islamic worlds since the release of the film.
The League appealed to Muslims offended by the cartoons to "use peaceful means to express their firm rejection."
French Double Standards
Ironically, "freedom of speech" defender, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, said a request to hold a demonstration in Paris would be refused.
Ayrault told RTL radio station on Wednesday that there is "no reason why we should let conflicts which do not concern France come to our country."
Despite appeals for calm by French Muslim leaders, protest rallies are expected to take place in several French cities next Saturday. Ayrault, however, only mentioned banning the one in Paris.
On Sunday, France's Interior Minister Manuel Valls ordered a ban on any further demonstrations against the anti-Islam film made in the United States.
"I have issued instructions so that this does not happen again. These protests are forbidden," Valls said in an interview with France 2 television network.
Valls further said that the government would fight more anti-US protests with "the greatest firmness".
His warning comes only one day after Muslim demonstrators staged a protest outside the US Embassy in Paris and the Interior Ministry to express their outrage at the blasphemous film that depicts Islam as an oppressive religion.
French police made 100 arrests in the capital for attending the anti-US protest.
In less than a week after the anti-Islam film ‘Innocence of Muslims' had caused furious protests worldwide for directly insulting Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), the French magazine follows the lead of the US-"Israeli" made film all under the banner of "speech and opinion freedom".
Source: News Agencies, edited by moqawama.org
