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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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2nd February 2006

PRESS RELEASE: Republication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) indicative of the hatred that precedes genocide

IHRC has condemned the decision by newspapers in various countries to reprint the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as indicative of the level of hatred against Muslims in Europe – a necessary prelude to systematic violence.

The initial publication of the caricatures in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten – that inter alia characterises the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist – was insulting, inciting and deeply distressing to Muslims world-wide. In itself it abused the precepts of free speech in that it demonised a community and insulted what its adherents held dear in a context where that community and its members have little access to media and public pace to respond. In a climate of rising anti-Muslim hatred, such characterisations of Islamic belief as evil and violent simply fan the fires of hatred.

Similar instances of hatred can be found in German newspapers of the 1930s demonising not only Jews but also the religion of Judaism as intrinsically evil. (See IHRC Press Release, ‘The Daily Telegraph, the newspaper that taught Britain to Hate’ 11 December 2004, https://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=1282).

IHRC Chair, Massoud Shadjareh said:

“The decision by papers in other countries to reproduce these cartoons, is unprecedented. Anti-Semitism in 1930s Europe – although rife even in the British press, did not simply replicate Nazi propaganda. The level of systematic hatred that the replication of these caricatures evidences is, we fear, now part of an inevitable prologue to systematic violence against Muslims in Europe.”

For more information or further comment, please call the Press Office on (+44) 20 8904 422, (+44) 7958 522 196, email info@ihrc.org.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
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Email: info@ihrc.org
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info@ihrc.org