ISLAMABAD: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday condemned French politicians for encouraging the publication of blasphemous caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The row over the cartoons has its roots in a knife attack outside a French school on October 16 in which a man of Chechen origin beheaded Samuel Paty, a teacher who had shown pupils cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a civics lesson.
The French government, backed by many citizens, saw the beheading as an attack on freedom of speech, and said they would defend the right to display the cartoons.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called the teacher a hero.
“OIC-IPHRC condemns remarks of French politicians encouraging publishing #blasphemouscaricatures under guise of distorted version of #righttofreedomofexpression which manifestly prohibits #incitementtohatred, discrimination n respect rights of others protected under #IHRL,” the body said in a series of tweets.
1/3 OIC-IPHRC condemns remarks of French politicians encouraging publishing #blasphemouscaricatures under guise of distorted version of #righttofreedomofexpression which manifestly prohibits #incitementtohatred, discrimination n respect rights of others protected under #IHRL
— OIC-IPHRC (@OIC_IPHRC) October 28, 2020
“Urge moderation and restraint at all levels, recommend initiating a comprehensive inter-civilizational dialogue to eliminate ‘double standards’, bridge socio-cultural misperceptions and enhance mutual respect,” the OIC-IPHRC said.
1/3 OIC-IPHRC condemns remarks of French politicians encouraging publishing #blasphemouscaricatures under guise of distorted version of #righttofreedomofexpression which manifestly prohibits #incitementtohatred, discrimination n respect rights of others protected under #IHRL
— OIC-IPHRC (@OIC_IPHRC) October 28, 2020
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote an open letter to “leaders of Muslim states,” urging them to deal with a rising wave of Islamophobia by educating people around the world about the religious sensitivities of Muslims.
“I believe the leaders in these countries often act out of lack of understanding of the intrinsically deep passion, love and devotion Muslims all over the world have for their Prophet PBUH and their divine book, the Holy Qur’an,” he wrote. “The time has come for the leaders of the Muslim world to take this message with clarity and unity to the rest of the world, especially the Western world, so an end is put to Islamophobia and attacks on Islam and our Prophet PBUH.”
