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| India-Pakistan |
| Cartoon blasphemy case registered against EU papers, Yahoo, Hotmail, Google |
| 2006-04-26 |
| KARACHI: Police have registered cases against the editor and publisher of a Danish newspaper and several other European dailies over their publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), under a blasphemy law that carries the death penalty, an officer said. Internet giants Yahoo, Hotmail, and the search engine Google were also named in the cases for allowing access to the drawings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that were considered sacrilegious by Muslims. A lawyer who runs a citizens’ rights group submitted the cases. The drawings were first published by Denmark’s daily Jyllands-Posten in September. Newspapers in several other European countries later reproduced the caricatures, triggering violent protests across the Muslim world. At least five people died in the unrest in Pakistan. Islamic tradition bars any of drawings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), favourable or otherwise, in a policy to discourage idolatry. Lawyer Iqbal Haider, who runs Awami Himayat Tehrik or People’s Support Movement, had petitioned the Supreme Court against the publication of the cartoons under a blasphemy law that allows the death penalty for anyone guilty of insulting the Holy Prophet (PBUH) or the holy Quran. Cases were registered on Tuesday against Jyllands-Posten, its editor, publisher, a cartoonist, and newspapers in France, Italy, Ireland, Norway and the Netherlands at a police station in Karachi on the court’s orders, said Tariq Malik, an official at the station. “It is now the government’s job to contact the Interpol and bring the offenders to a court of law in Pakistan,” Haider said on Wednesday. It was not clear immediately whether or when the government would approach the Interpol but a senior Karachi police officer said that the case would be further probed. “At this stage we can’t say whether or not Interpol will be contacted in this matter,” said Mushtaq Shah, chief of Karachi police operations. “We will first investigate and file our report to the government,” he said, adding, “This is for the higher authorities to decide what to do next.” A government prosecutor, who opposed the petition, says Pakistan’s courts have no jurisdiction over a crime committed abroad. “The courts in Pakistan ... have jurisdiction to try a person for an offence within their territorial jurisdiction in Pakistan,” prosecutor Makhdoom Ali Khan said in a written statement to the Supreme Court on April 7. AP |
| Posted by:john |
| #7 I do not like islam. I do not like muslims. |
| Posted by: Mark Z 2006-04-26 23:00 |
| #6 I think it's time to create laws in the west specifically criminalizing the issuance of death fatwas, and allowing for extradition or capture of such individuals who make such death threats. EXACTLY! The sooner you do so the better for world wide sanity and real civilizational advancement. Failure to do that means genuflexing to the Forces of Darkness in part or wholely. And we know that such Forces want it all, no less. |
| Posted by: Duh! 2006-04-26 21:58 |
| #5 I found this gem on MoveOn.org jpal, I hope you showered with lava soap before coming here. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-04-26 21:55 |
| #4 I think it's time to create laws in the west specifically criminalizing the issuance of death fatwas, and allowing for extradition or capture of such individuals who make such death threats. Enough of this Holy Prophet Mocmud (PTUI) bulldada. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-04-26 20:59 |
| #3 I found this gem on MoveOn.org I hope they don't get into any trouble over it. |
| Posted by: jpal 2006-04-26 20:58 |
| #2 And if a cartoon in a Pakistani newspaper offends me, I'll sue them right here in southeastern Pennsylvania. Interpol will drag them here. Right. Sure thing. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-04-26 20:49 |
| #1 “It is now the government’s job to contact the Interpol and bring the offenders to a court of law in Pakistan,” Haider said on Wednesday. ****** Uhhh, no, I don't think so. Fat chance of that happening. |
| Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden 2006-04-26 20:30 |
