LOS ANGELES: An actress in an anti-Islam film that triggered violent protests across the Muslim world sued a California man linked to its production on Wednesday for fraud and slander, saying she had received death threats after the video was posted on YouTube.
Actress Cindy Lee Garcia, who also named Google Inc and its YouTube unit as defendants, asked that the film be removed from YouTube and said her right to privacy had been violated and her life endangered, among other allegations.
It was the first known civil lawsuit connected to the making of the video.
The violence included an attack on US diplomatic facilities in Benghazi in which the US ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed.
Meanwhile, up to 50 people were injured yesterday as police clashed with thousands of protesters demonstrating in Islamabad against an anti-Islam film.
The demonstrators, many armed with wooden clubs, were driven back by police as they tried to reach Islamabad’s heavily-guarded diplomatic enclave, which is home to most Western embassies, including the US, British and French missions. Police fired tear gas and live rounds as the protesters.
The United States warned its citizens yesterday to avoid travel to Pakistan. The warning from the State Department updates an Aug. 27 advisory, which warned of the “risks of travel to Pakistan” but stopped short of recommending Americans avoid traveling there.
Meanwhile, France was swept up yesterday in the wave of anger washing over the Muslim world as protesters denounced a magazine’s publication of cartoons against the Prophet (peace be upon him).
In Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood demanded yesterday that France act against cartoons in the same way as against the private pictures of Prince William’s wife Catherine.
Its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), called for “firm and rapid measures against the (French) magazine” Charlie Hebdo which printed cartoons against the Prophet (PBUH) on Wednesday.
In Tehran, up to 100 people protested in front of France’s embassy as dozens of police deployed around the compound prevented the crowd from approaching.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has also warned that cartoons against the Prophet will trigger a new wave of anti-Western violence.
In a statement, OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu “expressed shock and dismay over” the depictions and warned they would “further exacerbate the ongoing turmoil and violence created by the release of the anti-Islam film”.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon also joined condemnation of the film on Wednesday, saying freedom of expression should not be abused “to provoke or humiliate some others’ values and beliefs”.
“Freedom of expression, while it is a fundamental right and privilege, should not be abused by such people, by such a disgraceful and shameful act,” Ban said.
![]()
Actress sues California anti-Islam filmmaker
Actress sues California anti-Islam filmmaker
UN rights chief appeals for $400 million as crises mount and funding shrinks
- The UN office is appealing for $100 million less than last year, after a significant scale back of its work in some areas
- Volker Turk’s office undertook less than half the number of human rights monitoring missions compared to 2024
GENEVA: UN human rights chief Volker Turk appealed for $400 million on Thursday to address mounting human rights needs in countries such as Sudan and Myanmar, after donor funding cuts drastically reduced the work of his office and left it in “survival mode.”
The UN office is appealing for $100 million less than last year, after a significant scale back of its work in some areas due to a fall in contributions from countries including the US and Europe.
“We are currently in survival mode, delivering under strain,” Turk told delegates in a speech in Geneva, urging countries to step up support.
In the last year, Turk’s office raised alarm about human rights violations in Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, and Myanmar, among others.
However, due to slashes in funding, Turk’s office undertook less than half the number of human rights monitoring missions compared to 2024, and reduced its presence in 17 countries, he said. Last year it received $90 million less in funding than it needed, which resulted in 300 job cuts, directly impacting the office’s work, Turk said in December.
“We cannot afford a human rights system in crisis,” he stated.
Turk listed examples of the impacts of cuts, noting the Myanmar program was cut by more than 60 percent in the last year, limiting its ability to gather evidence.
A UN probe into possible war crimes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also struggling to become fully operational due to limited funding, while work to prevent gender-based violence and protect the rights of LGBTIQ+ people globally has been cut up to 75 percent, the office said.
“This means more hate speech and attacks, and fewer laws to stop them,” Turk stated.
The UN human rights office is responsible for investigating rights violations. Its work contributes to UN Security Council deliberations and is widely used by international courts, according to the office.
The UN office is appealing for $100 million less than last year, after a significant scale back of its work in some areas due to a fall in contributions from countries including the US and Europe.
“We are currently in survival mode, delivering under strain,” Turk told delegates in a speech in Geneva, urging countries to step up support.
In the last year, Turk’s office raised alarm about human rights violations in Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, and Myanmar, among others.
However, due to slashes in funding, Turk’s office undertook less than half the number of human rights monitoring missions compared to 2024, and reduced its presence in 17 countries, he said. Last year it received $90 million less in funding than it needed, which resulted in 300 job cuts, directly impacting the office’s work, Turk said in December.
“We cannot afford a human rights system in crisis,” he stated.
Turk listed examples of the impacts of cuts, noting the Myanmar program was cut by more than 60 percent in the last year, limiting its ability to gather evidence.
A UN probe into possible war crimes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also struggling to become fully operational due to limited funding, while work to prevent gender-based violence and protect the rights of LGBTIQ+ people globally has been cut up to 75 percent, the office said.
“This means more hate speech and attacks, and fewer laws to stop them,” Turk stated.
The UN human rights office is responsible for investigating rights violations. Its work contributes to UN Security Council deliberations and is widely used by international courts, according to the office.
Latest updates
Recommended
© 2026 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.