OIC Expresses Concern at the Publications of Caricatures of Prophet Muhammad by Charlie Hebdo

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, expressed concern at the publication of a comic book announced as part of a series on the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by the French tabloid Charlie Hebdo.

The Secretary General said the publication of the series went against norms of responsible journalism and was tantamount to abuse of the right to freedom of expression. He added that incitement and advocacy of hatred and intolerance on religious grounds signified by this publication was in contravention of international human rights laws and instruments.
The Secretary General reiterated that the Charlie Hebdo magazine should abide by the provisions – particularly those in the European Union (EU) context – on incitement to hatred and violence. He urged the authorities concerned in France to take appropriate action against the magazine.
Prof. Ihsanoglu called upon the Muslims all over the world to exercise restraint in the face of this act of incitement. The Secretary General reiterated OIC’s principled position on developing an international consensus on dealing with a frequency of deliberate acts of incitement, within the framework of the Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18.

Source: OIC