Zimpapers Logo

The recent re-publication by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo of the same cartoons about Prophet Muhammad and Islam that prompted a deadly attack on the magazine in 2015, is a reckless provocation on all communities of faith.

The current director of Charlie Hebdo, said the magazine had “nothing to regret” for republishing cartoons on the pretext of freedom of the press, art or expression.

The Charlie Hebdo magazine could never have printed cartoons denying the holocaust in the name of free speech, without charges of anti-Semitism being brought against him. In Germany, it is crime to deny the Holocaust.

Using speech to place people in danger is not protected nor is revealing information deemed vital to national security (ask Edward Snowden and Julian Assange).

In reality there is no absolute freedom of speech, what exists is speech within predefined limits.

Taking international human rights law as a yardstick, hate speech is a category of expression which enjoys no protection whatever. Under Article 20 (2) of the International Covenant on Civil Political Rights, all States are under a duty to prohibit by law “any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence”

Freedom of expression is not an absolute and never has been, although some people try to push the limits as much as possible, not to support freedom, but to advance their pre-determined agenda. Freedom of expression is of great value and must be used in a constructive way in line with the idea of bringing peaceful co-existence and understanding among religions.

Alluding to an attack on Charlie Hebdo in reprisal for satirical depictions of Muhammad, Pope Francis condemned the violence, but also said there are limits to free speech — especially when it involves religion.

In particular, the Pope said, one should not abuse freedom of expression to “provoke” or “offend” others deliberately, and also shouldn’t be surprised when they react to such taunts.

Such a deliberate act to offend the sentiments of more than a billion Muslims cannot be justified as an exercise in press freedom or freedom of expression. Such actions undermine the global aspirations for peaceful co-existence as well as social and inter-faith harmony.

The Committee on Dialogue Among Religions and Faith Traditions of Zimbabwe will not tolerate any insult or disrespect towards Islam’s prophet, or other divine prophets.

As we condemn the re-publication of the offensive cartoons, we equally condemn the perpetrators of the deadly attack on the paper’s offices in 2015.

Committee on Dialogue Among Religions and Faith Traditions, Zimbabwe.