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Drawings of Muhammad reprinted-Long live Freedom of Speech

Amal | 02.02.2006 11:27

PARIS — French and German newspapers on Wednesday republished caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad that have riled the Muslim world.


Democratic freedoms include the “right to blasphemy,” the newspapers said.

The front page of the daily France Soir carried the headline, “Yes, We Have the Right to Caricature God,” with a cartoon of Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Christian gods floating on a cloud. Inside, the paper reran the drawings.

“The appearance of the 12 drawings in the Danish press provoked emotions in the Muslim world because the representation of Allah and his prophet is forbidden. But because no religious dogma can impose itself on a democratic and secular society, France Soir is publishing the incriminating caricatures,” the paper said.

In Germany, Die Welt printed one of the drawings on its front page, arguing that a “right to blasphemy” was anchored in democratic freedoms. The Berliner Zeitung also printed two of the caricatures.

The Danish daily Jyllands-Posten published the cartoons in September after asking artists to depict Islam’s prophet to challenge what it perceived was self-censorship among artists. A Norwegian paper reprinted the images last month.

Angered by the drawings, masked Palestinian gunmen briefly took over a European Union office in Gaza on Monday. Danish goods were swept from shelves in some countries, and Saudi Arabia and Libya recalled their ambassadors to Denmark.

The Jyllands-Posten — which received a bomb threat over the drawings — has apologized for hurting Muslims’ feelings, but not for publishing the cartoons.

Amal

Comments

Display the following 23 comments

  1. Freedom to cheerlead Nazis — Danny
  2. Britain down the bucket — Unai
  3. Even Germany has been publishing anti-muslim race-hate images — twilight
  4. They're doing a great job, all by themselves — Arthur Kennedy
  5. double standards as standard — Danny
  6. To "Twilight" — TH
  7. secretary — Birte Nyholm
  8. shock horror — jilly jones
  9. Timing is Everything — Sensibility
  10. ridiculous — LEI
  11. FAO TH re Twilight — J&P
  12. Yo! Twilight — Pre-emptive strike
  13. Elders of Zion — Danny
  14. Freedom of Press vs. moral responsibilities/values — Danish Amin
  15. To Danny — Danish Amin
  16. Which is more offensive..... — freddo
  17. Freedom of what ? — Danny
  18. Relax, have a beer — Chill Pill Required
  19. Nazi Propaganda — Hate Is NOT A Right
  20. Anti-War ? — Danny
  21. What about Far-Right Arabs? — Rico
  22. Context — Danny
  23. demonize jews and christians = free speech, demonize muslims = 'hate speech' — huanita