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South Africa bans publication of cartoons
 The ban on the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in former First World nation South Africa was worrying and conflicted with press freedom, the Media Institute of Southern Africa said on Sunday. Misa's Raymond Louw said the Johannesburg High Court's ruling on Friday stated that the right to dignity outweighed the right to freedom of expression.
| That means that no mockery of anyone is allowed. Notice how easy it is to go from being governed to being ruled... |
Judge Mohammed Jajbhay concluded that the cartoons were offensive and an affront to the dignity of the Muslim people.
| We can guess where Mohammed Jajbhay goes to church, too. Nothing like getting an unbiased ruling from a neutral party... |
"Misa regards the ban as an unacceptable intrusion on media freedom and freedom of expression by the courts and believes it is unconstitutional," Louw said.
| Not that constitutions count for much in Third World countries... |
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance said it was dismayed by the decision. "Media freedom is explicitly constitutionalised in South Africa as part of the right to free speech and expression.
| It was up until now, anyway. Now it's not. Get used to it. And don't forget to vote ANC. |
"This means that the media decides without prior restraint by other organs of state what it will publish, and how," said spokesperson Dene Smuts.
| Now your friendly neighborhood holy men do... |
The Jamiat-ul Ulama Transvaal sought the interdict late on Friday.
| If I ever become a counter-terrorist, I'm going to begin my career by firebombing the offices of the nearest Jamaat-e-Ulema. |
Publication in Europe of the set of Danish cartoons has given rise to protests, flag-burning and commercial boycotts across the Middle East.
| And South Africa doesn't want any of that... |
The DA welcomed the resolve shown by the SA National Editors' Forum and the newspaper groups affected by the ruling to resist prior restraint when the matter returns to court at the end of the month. "The interdict must be lifted - thereafter matters of substance such as the relative importance of the rights to free speech and dignity can be considered," said Smuts.
| You achieve dignity by being strong and steadfast, not by foaming at the mouth in response to every little nit-noi happenstance... |
The Union of Muslim Students Associations said the publication of the cartoons would be offensive. "Freedom of speech is an inalienable right of all South Africans, enshrined in our Bill of Rights after centuries of struggle to free our land of the oppression of one by another", the students said. "Another freedom enshrined in our constitution, after this same struggle, is that of religion, belief and opinion. Further, the Bill of Rights enshrines that everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected. Tainting and mocking the character of the Prophet Muhammad and any other prophet of Islam or revered Islamic figure, such as Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and/or Mary, is tantamount to degrading the dignity of those who follow Islam. All freedoms have limitations...
| "And our religion limits all your freedoms." |
"We call for a national dialogue through institutions such as the parliament of the Republic of South Africa, and the media, to promote an understanding of this issue, especially focusing on the reasons why it provokes such a passionate response from the Muslim community."
Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-02-06 |
