EGYPT: Egyptians reject cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad but caution against a violent response to their publication in a French magazine
Record ID:
862722
EGYPT: Egyptians reject cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad but caution against a violent response to their publication in a French magazine
- Title: EGYPT: Egyptians reject cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad but caution against a violent response to their publication in a French magazine
- Date: 20th September 2012
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN CITIZEN, AHMED AMIN, SAYING: "I reject these images as well as any magazine that does such things. I also reject any violent action to reply to such insults, thus I reject the violence that took place in front of US embassy." TAHRIR SIDEWALK WITH PEOPLE WALKING
- Embargoed: 5th October 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Egypt
- City:
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Communications,Arts,Politics,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVAARZYPPPKQ7KVEARL7HYS10DY3
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Egyptians on the streets of Cairo echoed Muslim and Arab leaders on Wednesday (September 19) in denouncing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad published in a French magazine as another insult to their faith.
The cartoons, featured in the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, showed an Orthodox Jew pushing a turbaned figure in a wheelchair on its cover. Several caricatures of the Prophet were included on its inside pages, including some of him naked.
Their publication follows widespread outrage and violent anti-Western protests in many Muslim countries in Africa and Asia in the past week over an anti-Muslim film posted on the Internet.
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."
The acting head of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, Essam Erian, said the French judiciary should deal with the issue as firmly as it had handled the case against the magazine which published topless pictures of Britain's Duchess of Cambridge, the wife of Prince William.
Student Baher Samir told Reuters that he thought the cartoons clearly crossed the line between criticism and insult.
"Generally, religious insult should be considered a vile action because its purpose is not to criticize but to insult an icon that is respected by his people. When you insult an icon that is held in high regard by his people, you are attempting to infuriate his people, which is no longer criticism. If you attempt to criticize a certain person, it is your right to criticize of course to criticize everyone but to insult an iconic figure is considered a vile action," said Samir.
Another Egyptian man, Ahmed Amin, also denounced the publication of the cartoons but cautioned against a violent response like that fuelled by the film depiction of Mohammad as a lecherous fool.
"I reject these images as well as any magazine that does such things. I also reject any violent action to reply to such insults, thus I reject the violence that took place in front of US embassy," said Amin.
In 2005, Danish cartoons of the Prophet caused a wave of violent protests across the Muslim world in which at least 50 people were killed. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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