The Wardman Wire

On the Wing reports a French court verdirct that declares the Mohammed Cartoons part of normal public dialogue in a free society:

“The Paris court that was trying the weekly satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo” for insulting Islam has thrown the case out and thereby acquitted the editor, Phillipe Val of insulting Islam by printing two of the Jyllands Posten “Motoons” and a third, home grown, cartoon depicting the prophet Mohammed.

The magasine printed the cartoons in february last year and two of the largest muslim organisations in France sued. The courts declared the cartoons as being within the limits of free speech and that they did not constitute an attack on Islam.”

Phillipe Val commented:

“It is a European victory, that a European court has decided that it is not religious groups or extreme muslim groups that dictate the limits of freedom of speech. This is also good news for secular and democratic muslims in France.”

Quite. This is an excellent verdict. Perhaps now the newspapers in the UK will rediscover their values and their heritage as facilitators of debate.

UPDATE 13:30: I wonder if UK national newspapers will cover this. Or is this a “story non-story” that will not be reportedas the Mainstream Media do not wish to embarrass themselves.

Tags: motoons, mohammed cartoons, freedom of speech, satire, Jyllands Posten, . chaelie hedbo, phillipe val

[tags] motoons, mohammed cartoons, freedom of speech, satire, Jyllands Posten, . chaelie hedbo, phillipe val [/tags]