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February 7, 2007

France: Satirical Magazine On Trial For Muslim Cartoons

On July 17 it was announced that the management of the Mosquée de Paris was pursuing a court case against the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the publishing house Rotatives, and the magazine's editor, Philippe Val. The suit claimed that by publishing three of the notorious Danish cartoons of the founder of Islam, the defendants had committed a "deliberate act of aggression aimed at offending people of the Muslim religion in their attachment to their faith."

The cover of the offending issue (pictured) featured an image of Mohammed, with the words: "Mohammed Overwhelmed by the Fundamentalists." The "prophet" is saying: "It's tough to be loved by idiots". The word con also means something more offensive.

The lawsuit, which is jointly being brought the Union of French Islamic Organizations, was heard in court for the first time on Tuesday. The cultural editor of Jyllands-Posten, which originally posted the images of Mohammed, Fleming Rose, said: "I just cannot imagine the consequences not only for France but for Denmark and Europe if they lose the case. It would turn back the clock decades, ages."

50 intellectuals and politicians have supported the defendants in an open letter. Among those who have spoken in favor of the defendants are Taslima Nasreen, states AFP. Taslima Nasreen has received abuse from radical Islamists in her native Bangladesh, as well as abuse from Muslims in her adoptive home in Calcutta (Kolkata) in India.

Nicolas Sarkozy is France's Interior Minister, and also the minister of Religious Affairs. He is also a presidential candidate. He wrote a letter in which he said the magazine Charlie Hebdo had pursued "an old tradition, that of satire". He himself has been the subject of numerous satirical lampoons by the magazine.

The plaintiffs are demanding $38,750 in damages, and are demanding that if they win their case, the magazine publishes the court's ruling on its front page.

The open letter stated: "Democrats the world over and especially Muslims hope to see in Europe, and above all in France, a secular haven where their words are not blocked by dictators or fundamentalists."

According to Le Monde, the CFCM (literally the French Council of the Muslim Cult) earlier today deplored the politicization which has surrounded the trial. Such whining is irrelevant - the case was brought as a deliberate act, to challenge France's traditions of political free speech. The CFCM is not condemning Dalil Boubakeur of the Paris Grand Mosque, nor the Union of French Islamic Organizations, who brought the case.

The CFCM was expected by Boubakeur to make a mass protest, complaining against Nicolas Sarkozy's statements. Boubakeur said: "it appears that the letter is an act of a presidential candidate, and not that of a minister in charge of religious affairs, which will have given cause to a number of recriminations."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at February 7, 2007 7:33 PM

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Posted by: learner at February 8, 2007 8:51 PM

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