Islamic official warns Frattini over cartoon 'hate programme'
A top Islamic official in Brussels has said muslims around the world see caricatures of the prophet Mohammed as a direct attack on their values and called their publication in European newspapers a "hate programme."
The chairman of World Islamic Call Society, Mohamed Ahmed Sherif told a press conference in Brussels on Thursday (9 February) that the cartoons of Mohammed published first in Danish daily Jyllands-Posten, fuelled extremism.
"Nobody should blame the muslims if they are unhappy about the images of the prophet Mohammed," Sherif said coming out from a meeting with EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini in Brussels.
"It’s forbidden to create a hate programme to show that the prophet is a terrorist while he’s not," he stated.
"Don’t ask us to try to make people understand that this is not a campaign of hate."
Frattini says he was misunderstood
EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini repeatedly nodded and mumbled "yes" in front of cameras and microphones during Mr Sherif's statement.
Mr Frattini also denied wanting to create a code of conduct for journalists reporting on religious matters, as indicated by earlier media reports.
"There have never been, nor will there be any plans by the European Commission to have some sort of EU regulation, nor is there any legal basis for doing so," the commissioner stated.
Mr Frattini said he wished to clarify possible misunderstandings about his position in the Danish-Muslim row, in an interview with UK daily newspaper The Telegraph.
"It is up to the media themselves to self-regulate or not, and it is up to the media to formulate such a voluntary code of conduct if it is found necessary, appropriate and useful by them," he said.
"The freedom of speech is one of the European Union's pillars, and will remain to be one of its pillars," the commissioner said.
Sense and sensibility, please
Muslims around the world have responded with furore over the cartoons - including one drawing of Mohammed wearing a bomb-shaped turban - as modern practice of Islam does not allow any visual depictions of Mohammed.
Politicians have tried to sooth muslim anger and discourage western media from publishing the cartoons, but press from over 20 countries in and out of Europe has acted in solidarity with the Danish daily and the principle of freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament on Thursday decided not to vote for a resolution on the cartoons.
A brief debate is scheduled for next week's parliamentary session in Strasbourg, but presidents decided to only allow for one person from each group to speak on the sensitive issue.
A spokesperson from the European Parliament said MEPs would not want to take a firm stance on the matter before the Euro-Mediterranean summit, including several muslim states on the south and east coast of the Mediterranean Sea, set for the end of March.
Speaking in Brussels, commissioner Franco Frattini said that a complete new dialogue had to be launched between the EU and the muslim world, and that for that he needed "people with good will".
Frattini said that lacking in legislative power of press matter, he would appeal to the sense of responsibility in the media, urging leading journalists to restrain from publishing or re-publishing the disputed cartoons.
Anything goes, NGO says
Vincent Brossel from organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in Paris told EUobserver that any encouragement of a code of conduct for journalists is a signs of politicians trying to sooth the political tension right now.
Mr Brossel said that politicians should be careful with what they propose, and stated that the RSF would be against any limitations on free speech.
"The European court of human rights has ruled that all opinions can be expressed or written, even those who shock a majority of the people," he said, highlighting the wide freedoms enjoyed by Danish media.
"The Danish law is freer than most European when it comes to publications of possibly sensitive pictures," Mr Brossel explained.
"In France, a poster of Jesus Christ surrounded by lightly-dressed women at the last supper had to be taken down after complaints from Christian groups, and around Europe there are several similar cases," he stated.
The chairman of World Islamic Call Society, Mohamed Ahmed Sherif told a press conference in Brussels on Thursday (9 February) that the cartoons of Mohammed published first in Danish daily Jyllands-Posten, fuelled extremism.
"Nobody should blame the muslims if they are unhappy about the images of the prophet Mohammed," Sherif said coming out from a meeting with EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini in Brussels.
"It’s forbidden to create a hate programme to show that the prophet is a terrorist while he’s not," he stated.
"Don’t ask us to try to make people understand that this is not a campaign of hate."
Frattini says he was misunderstood
EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini repeatedly nodded and mumbled "yes" in front of cameras and microphones during Mr Sherif's statement.
Mr Frattini also denied wanting to create a code of conduct for journalists reporting on religious matters, as indicated by earlier media reports.
"There have never been, nor will there be any plans by the European Commission to have some sort of EU regulation, nor is there any legal basis for doing so," the commissioner stated.
Mr Frattini said he wished to clarify possible misunderstandings about his position in the Danish-Muslim row, in an interview with UK daily newspaper The Telegraph.
"It is up to the media themselves to self-regulate or not, and it is up to the media to formulate such a voluntary code of conduct if it is found necessary, appropriate and useful by them," he said.
"The freedom of speech is one of the European Union's pillars, and will remain to be one of its pillars," the commissioner said.
Sense and sensibility, please
Muslims around the world have responded with furore over the cartoons - including one drawing of Mohammed wearing a bomb-shaped turban - as modern practice of Islam does not allow any visual depictions of Mohammed.
Politicians have tried to sooth muslim anger and discourage western media from publishing the cartoons, but press from over 20 countries in and out of Europe has acted in solidarity with the Danish daily and the principle of freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament on Thursday decided not to vote for a resolution on the cartoons.
A brief debate is scheduled for next week's parliamentary session in Strasbourg, but presidents decided to only allow for one person from each group to speak on the sensitive issue.
A spokesperson from the European Parliament said MEPs would not want to take a firm stance on the matter before the Euro-Mediterranean summit, including several muslim states on the south and east coast of the Mediterranean Sea, set for the end of March.
Speaking in Brussels, commissioner Franco Frattini said that a complete new dialogue had to be launched between the EU and the muslim world, and that for that he needed "people with good will".
Frattini said that lacking in legislative power of press matter, he would appeal to the sense of responsibility in the media, urging leading journalists to restrain from publishing or re-publishing the disputed cartoons.
Anything goes, NGO says
Vincent Brossel from organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in Paris told EUobserver that any encouragement of a code of conduct for journalists is a signs of politicians trying to sooth the political tension right now.
Mr Brossel said that politicians should be careful with what they propose, and stated that the RSF would be against any limitations on free speech.
"The European court of human rights has ruled that all opinions can be expressed or written, even those who shock a majority of the people," he said, highlighting the wide freedoms enjoyed by Danish media.
"The Danish law is freer than most European when it comes to publications of possibly sensitive pictures," Mr Brossel explained.
"In France, a poster of Jesus Christ surrounded by lightly-dressed women at the last supper had to be taken down after complaints from Christian groups, and around Europe there are several similar cases," he stated.
posted by Marko at 2/09/2006 12:38:00 PM
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