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The Muhammed Drawings became late in 2005, the centre of a major political controversy in Denmark following the publishing of 12 satirical caricatures of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on September 30, 2005, including one suggesting he had a bomb in his turban. The drawings were printed by Jyllands-Posten as a satirical illustration to go along an article on self-censorship and freedom of speech, commenting on the fact that no artist was willing to illustrate a childrens book by the Danish writer Kåre Bluitgen about Muhammad without remaining anonymous, allegedly for fear of revenge from extremist Muslims, as depicting Muhammad is prohibited according to Islamic belief.

While the newspaper maintains that the drawings were an exercise in free speech, many Muslims in Denmark and further afield viewed them as a provocation. Two newspaper cartoonists were reportedly driven into hiding after death threats were issued against them and the paper has revised and heightened its security procedures.

International consequences

The embassy of Pakistan in Copenhagen told the Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to penalize the drawers, and the controversy produced labour strikes in Pakistan and Kashmir. The case is now being brought to the International Court of Justice.

Franco Frattini, the vice-President of the European Commission, called the publication of the twelve cartoons “thoughtless and inappropriate” in a time when animosity towards Islam is on the rise. According to Frattini, the EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom, and Security, the cartoons foment hostility against Islam and foreigners:

Honestly, these kinds of drawings can add to the growing Islamophobia in Europe. I fully respect the freedom of speech, but, excuse me, one should avoid making any statement like this, which only arouses and incites to the growing radicalisation.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Society in Denmark has proposed that a three day celebration of Muhammad should be held in Denmark, putting a focus on the prophets life. This should be coordinated in part by the Islamic Society, Jyllands-Posten and at least some of the five universities in Denmark. The universities have initially responded as being interested, Jyllands-Posten however, is hesitating.

In early January the Egyptian government threathened with a boycott, but did not carry out their threat. However people in Saudi Arabia called out for a boycott January 20th, and carried out the boycott on Danish products January 26th. The boycott primarily targetted dairy products produced by Arla, but has also hit other products. The boycott has spread to Kuwait. This has lead to the organisation of Danish industries sending an open letter to Jyllands-Posten where they state that the paper should comment on these events because they feel their members are caught in a 'battle' between religious movements and the paper. The newspaper has reacted to the letter and said that "Dictatorships should not dictate their policy" .

The Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Per Stig Møller, has stated that the boycott not is started by the Saudi Arabian government.

In Scandinavia

A Norwegian magazine, Magazinet, printed the drawings after getting authorization from Jyllands-Posten and it led to a great debate in Norway as well. A Norwegian man made a threat against the lives of the people at the magazine, but later admitted, when faced by the police, that it was just a prank. Some Swedish newspapers has considered printing the drawings as well.

History

Drawings of Muhammed has been practiced by the Shi'a Muslims for a long time, including cartoon strips, but has mostly pictured the life of the Prophet Muhammad as a merchant and doing other everyday things. The real controversy with these new drawings come from the fact that one of them shows Muhammad with a bomb in his turban and therefore apparantly equates Islam with terror.

Opinions in Denmark

The general opinion in Denmark is that the drawings do not violate the law of free speech, and neither the newspaper nor the cartoonists have apologized for publishing them. The question whether the drawings should be printed has been discussed a lot in Denmark from letters to the Editors, to national television and to high schools and universities at open debate meetings.

See also

• Jyllands-Posten

External links

• The EU Commission's vice-chairman, Franco Frattini (on this issue)
• The Muhammad Drawings (animated gif with English translations)

• Current events
• Islam
• Denmark