Thursday, February 16, 2006

Europe Continues To React To Muhammad Cartoon Controversy

European countries continue to react in various ways to the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad and the widespread, often violent, reaction by Muslims in some countries. Members of the European Parliament debated the issue yesterday, and are expected to vote on resolutions today. Extensive portions of the debate have been published. There was widespread agreement on the need to respect religious beliefs, but also on the need to condemn violence and protect freedom of speech.

[UPDATED] Meanwhile, a story published yesterday by Islam Online and now available in Turkish Weekly reported that Norway's parliament had amended the Norwegian Penal Code to criminalize blasphemy, according to Norway's Deputy Archbishop Oliva Howika. Islam Online said that Howika told reporters after a meeting with Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, in Doha, Qatar, that Norwegian law now clearly prohibits despising others or lampooning religions in any form of expression, including the use of photographs. There is question, though, about the accuracy of this report. Islam Online itself has removed the article, and Judeoscope prints this cautionary statement about the report:

We reported 14 hours ago Islam Online’s claim that Norway had passed an anti-blasphemy law with a word of caution, since Judeoscope was unable to confirm the enws story independently. Calls to Norvegian diplomats and a review of Norway’s press reveal that if the Nordic country had indeed passed such legislation, its parliament is doing a magnificient job at hiding it from its constituents. It is, however, more likely that the report is tantamount to a propaganda ploy reflecting the wishful thinking of Muslim Brother Yusuf al-Qaradawi and his mouthpiece, Islam Online.


Interfax yesterday reported that the Russian Federal Media Control and Cultural Heritage Protection Service says that Russian media publishing articles that may offend people's religious feelings will be subjected to punitive measures, including the annulment of their registration.

UPDATE: Thursday's Washington Post carried an excellent article reviewing on a month-by-month basis developments in the cartoon controversy.