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2/1/2007 - World Islam on Trial: French Muslims, Charlie Hebdo and the Cartoons by Kay Dilday

ICWA KAD FRANCE Kay Dilday Institute Fellow studying relationships French North African immigrants France North Africa letters Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided termfellowships enable outstandingyoung professionals outsidethe United States write about international areas issues An operating foundation endowedby Charles R Crane theInstitute supported contri butions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Bryn Barnard Joseph Battat Carole Beaulieu Mary Lynne Bird Steven Butler Peter Geithner Gary Hartshorn Pramila Jayapal Cheng Li Dasa Obereigner David Z Robinson Carol Rose John Spencer Edmund Sutton HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot World Islam Trial French Muslims Charlie Hebdo Cartoons By K A Dilday February PARIS In February several French newspapers published vocative Danish cartoons depicting Islam Prophet Mohammed The cartoons provoked heated response world including violent demonstrations countries In France streets group Islamic organiza tions filed against French papers published drawings tiric bimonthly Charlie Hebdo Citing France racism alleged three cartoons insulted Muslim faith This February sides argued their Paris during trial Because timing little months before first round presidential election April trial lightning tracting attention press presidential candidates For French people represents watershed moment between archaic oppressive Islam rational tolerant West But French Muslims trial debate about equal respect their religion France ability desire French state protect their dignity interests under existing French Early February I joined outside Royal Palace large impos building Seine There Paris Court Appeals shares space Sainte Chappelle church renowned intricate stained glass panels built 1200s Saint Louis King France Once inside lines diverged The pilgrims through courtyard peered taped window information booth On white paper someone scrawled magic marker Charlie Hebdo trial first floor I climbed staircase floor where large crowd buzzed around being guarded bulky gendarme closely cropped blond Whenever crowd began surge forward would bellow RECULEZ Move Back Because timate setting gathered large square corridor serving courtrooms atmosphere outside court seemed central square small important event People buzzing talking their neighbors greeting friends debating issue There Muslims white robes being interviewed television cameras 25ish Tariq Ramadan epigone around fitting striped pointy shoes little sunglasses Mr Ramadan dapper sophisticated Switzerland Koranic scholar pears shows France England debate place conservative interpretations Islam Europe While I waiting hopes entering courtroom commo started excited rushed courtroom fullness crowd A short portly white haired about waving piece lather Im mediately cameras others urned Waving paper sputtered about Interior Minister responsibility faiths France Muslim faith French faith Interior Min ister should remain neutral The spoke rapidly while angrily waving And He rushed mobile phone private corner camera crews killed their bright lights None onlookers cluded seemed quite happened Who I asked Arab origin balcony staircase watching speak animatedly phone He Paris Mosque Later evening I found Nicolas Sarkozy interior minister whose moment presidential candidate written letter support Charlie Hebdo The defense attorneys unveiled trial The angry Paris Mosque Abdullah Zekri prominent Muslim elder France traveled Baghdad negotiate release kidnapped French journalists In letter Mr Sarkozy defended Charlie Hebdo publica cartoons tradition satire France later night Mr Sarkozy shown giving short conference tarmac airport echoing letter I would rather there cartoons censor In their press conference evening follow emergency meeting Muslim organizations representatives ambushed betrayed It seems Mr Sarkozy inform cision support Charlie Hebdo styled himself champion moderate Muslims France Mr Sarkozy driving force behind Mus Council organization created Muslims access government other religious groups clear hierarchy France It viewed keptically Muslims because government dictated leadership Despite hardline Muslim groups France Union French Islamic Organizations tained votes The French government ready reserved presidency Muslim Council Dalil Boubakeur moderate Paris Mosque Some leaders Muslim community least Mr Boubakeur considered Interior Minister Muslim champion designation Mr Sar wears proudly times Tactically Muslim groups mistakes figure things wrong They hired skilled lawyer Frances Szpiner acted lawyer president France Jacques Chirac frequent target legal investigations The Muslims groups lawsuit carefully construct conform previous successful prosecutions France racism religious persecution They chose address three toons egregious specifically equating KAD Muslims terrorists idiots And despite several French publications published cartoons filed against Charlie Hebdo because clear function That significant little discussed aspect lawsuit cause implies accept there reason context French papers publish toons Catholic organizations Jewish groups successful prosecutions under Catholic priest person testified behalf plaintiff while hordes prominent people lined defend Charlie Hebdo France racism legislation meshes uneas Republic ideological belief freedom expression The cited sentiment centuryphilosopher Voltaire detested cleric would defend right ished principle Frenc people Yet France department includes country racism legislation Some century Dating qualify freedom pression Declaration Rights Man These constantly invoked seemed inaccurate writing about Charlie Hebdo trial editorial Le Monde called trial another edition paper cartoonist Cabu defendant trial called trial Middle Ages Trials alleging religious racial defamation occur frequently France The Charlie Hebdo trial ribly dissimilar trial hearing complaint supporters Catholic Church against fashion company Marith Fran Girbaud advertising campaign inspired Leonardo Da Vinci painting The Last Supper barely clothed women And court appeals heard Charlie Hebdo there activity cases against controversial comedian Dieudonn France supreme court judged guilty violating religion saying published interview Judaism swindle because first juifs secte escroquerie graves parce premi And Dieudonn appeal against guilty judgment court trying Charlie Hebdo sched proceed postponed until September Dieudonn racial defama radio presenter producer Jacques Essabag known Arthur saying Arthur produc company actively finances Israeli Army doesn hesitate Palestinian children No doubt strengthen between Charlie Hebdo Dieudonn showed trial critics Caroline Fourest journalist Charlie Hebdo He eagerly commented supporting freedom expression France Ms INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Fourest angrily retorted confusing liberty expression racism saying We liberty expression against racism Yet later television later quizzed about exchange between Ms Fourest Dieudonn Philippe Val director Charlie Hebdo struggled explain ference between infamous allegedly Semitic comedy sketch Dieudonn cartoons The second trial studded Not outdone Mr Sarkozy explosive letter other prominent politicians actually turned court Francis Hollande Socialist party Segolene Royal party presidential candidate Jacques Bayrou horse centrist presidential candidate appears disruptive third presidential election Mr Bayro spoke behalf Charlie Hebdo saying cartoons defensive prophet message criticizing those treacherously message justify wrongdo The politician seemed willing speak behalf Muslim organizations politician France longer beholden French voters presi three months Jacques Chirac By I relinquished illusion I stayed I might permitted enter instead moved freely about crowd asking opinions Muslims harder second The Muslims Tariq Ramadan imitator The crowd sided which lawyers began filing courtroom Cheers greeted Charlie Hebdo while crowd booed Muslim organization representative I approached appeared Arabic origin He demurred I asked opinion companion Hakim Morocco French citizen would first Ha lived France years The state supposed protect everyone These cartoons wounded three million Muslims They charac humiliation stigmatization Hakim claimed gendarmes guarding court because could there support Charlie Hebdo A moment later French woman listening taking notes gendarmes forced everyone I agreed I there notice gendarmes single I asked anything But moment later returned phatically Here forces woman If Iran forced That difference This complete sequitur inaccuracy girls forced remove their veils attend French schools reveals nature dispute For onlookers retired gentleman country stand corridor wearing French trial about specific issue whether publishing these three cartoons context Char Hebdo broken French against defaming ticular religious ethnic group It about East versus West Le Monde might modernity versus medievalism ideological being waged Europe struggles assimilate religion willing society This something Muslim organizations repeat their statements about lawsuit their religion receive respect other religions France Catholicism popular religion Judaism third popular established structure communicating vernment Yet since creation Muslim Council years Muslims direct This problem cannot blamed solely France ernmental structure It function disparate Muslim community interfaith tension further aggravated French Because state money permitted financing religious insti tutions Muslims elsewhere financing build mosques Financing Saudi Arabia Algeria Morocco other countries vested terest having influence France They finance mosque place remain loyal But Muslim groups responsibility The available Catholic Jewish groups perceived insults their faith always avail Historically Catholic groups entrenched society Jewish groups better organized Even Mus groups filed prevent publication Satanic Verses novel Salman Rushdie Muslims world thought blasphemous fatwah death against Muslim clerics And League Rights Men joined Muslim groups against controversial French author Michel Houelbecq wrote novel which character called Islam stupidest religion world Neither successful Yet trial Mr Boubakeur Muslim groups going follow example Jewish groups against anything sider Semitic But France unsure about where falls issue speech versus danger speech which simply insulting The Catholic organizations their against Marith Francois Gir overturned France Supreme Court And France finding uneasy middle between racist religious speech freedom expression In offensive comment often judged within bounds commentator spend court proving right offend European governments great effort empha Islam being attacked Europe Muslim fanatics refuse practice their ligion accordance The Muslim groups filed lawsuit against Charlie Hebdo reminded public streets protest courts And important their specificity plied there legitimate context publishing cartoons France though depictions prophet forbidden Islam Their actions rational Western important French Somehow obses global politics election season parade political posturing Postscrip On March Paris court found defendants Charlie Hebdo editor Philippe Val The court pronounced cartoons inoffensive The third turban decided could offensive Charlie Hebdo intention offend The Muslim groups split whether appeal decision ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Phone Fax E Mail Web Executive Director Steven Butler Program Assistant Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The Information contained publication reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Current World Affairs