Pakistani Muslims today called for the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists to be hanged for drawing the Prophet Mohammed on its latest front cover. As worldwide protests continued for a second day, nearly 300 people from a religious group rallied in the eastern city of Lahore, carrying placards saying Down with Charlie Hebdo. One banner read: Making blasphemy cartoon of the Prophet is the worst act of terrorism. The sketch-makers must be hanged immediately. Cartoonist Renald Luzier, who drew the image, had argued earlier this week that there should be no exceptions to freedom of expression. Meanwhile funerals for four of his colleagues - the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris last week - were held in France today. The Lahore rally came as Pakistani lawmakers staged their own demonstrations outside parliament after passing a resolution condemning the image of Islams prophet in the French satirical newspaper. The front cover shows a weeping Mohammed, holding a sign reading I am Charlie with the words All is forgiven above him. Scroll down for video Demanding death sentence: Pakistani Muslims chant slogans against the publication of an image of the Prophet Mohammed in Charlie Hebdo, calling for those behind the cartoons to be hanged Outrage: The 300-strong group carried placards saying Down with Charlie Hebdo during the rally in Lahore Burning issue: Pakistani protesters burn a French flag during a protest against the printing of satirical Charlie Hebdo sketches of the Prophet Mohammed in Multan Like many other Muslim nations, Pakistan has condemned last weeks deadly rampage at the office of Charlie Hebdo which killed 12 people, including editors, cartoonists and two policemen. But the authorities have also condemned the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed, which many Muslims consider sacrilege. Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Mohammad Yousuf said the lawmakers unanimously adopted the resolution condemning the publication of the images. RELATED ARTICLES John Kerry WON’T apologize to France for absence of... Now nobody even wants their bodies: Charlie Hebdo... Nervous UK newsagent stocking new Charlie Hebdo magazine... French police identify FIFTH suspect in Paris attacks over... The resolution was mostly symbolic. Yousif did not say how many legislators were present, but he stressed that lawmakers from all political parties backed the measure. The resolution also condemned violence under any pretext. After the vote, a group of lawmakers marched outside parliament, chanting: In the name of the prophet, were ready to die. The minister said the resolution would be sent to all foreign missions in the country and to the United Nations, to register Pakistans protest against the cartoons, which hurt our religious sentiments deeply. Pakistani Muslims demand death sentence for drawing Mohamed Pakistans State Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf (centre) leads a protest against satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo after passing a resolution condemning the publication of the Mohammed cartoon Islam generally forbids depictions of the Prophet Mohammed and many in Muslim-majority Pakistan view the cartoons as blasphemous. The magazine has invoked freedom of speech to defend its publications of cartoons that many Muslims and non-Muslims alike consider offensive. Meanwhile, Turkey also denounced the prophet cartoons as an open provocation. Freedom of the press does not mean freedom to insult, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Ankara before heading for talks with EU leaders in Brussels. Paying tribute: The coffin of Bernard Verlhac kown as Tignous, is carried outside the town hall of Montreuil after the tribute service today Fragile: Friends and former colleagues of Tignous wrote humorous messages and drew caricatures and cartoons on the coffin during the service His comments came as prosecutors in Istanbul opened an investigation into Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet for publishing excerpts from the first issue of Charlie Hebdo since the attack on its offices on January 7 that left 12 people dead. The publications revived a controversy over freedom of speech in officially secular Turkey which has been run for over a decade by an Islamic-leaning government and pious Muslim Recep Tayyip Erdogan, first as premier and now president. We do not allow any insult to the prophet in this country, Davutoglu said. As the government, we cannot put side by side the freedom of press and the lowness to insult. Vocal: Turkish Muslims chant slogans in front of the Istanbul courthouse during a protest against the publication by Turkish daily newspaper Cumhuriyet for publishing extracts of Charlie Hebdo Up in arms: Istanbul has opened an investigation into Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet for publishing excerpts from the first issue of Charlie Hebdo since the attack on its offices on January 7 that left 12 people dead Demonstration: A Muslim protestor holds a Turkish and an Islamic flag in front of Istanbul courthouse during a protest against the publication by Turkish daily newspaper Cumhuriyet Davutoglu said people were sensitive about their religion in the overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey and could not be expected to show patience towards insults to the prophet. If some print cartoons that insult the prophet - and this is the situation and there is a sensitivity in Turkey - it is a provocation... it is an open provocation. Meanwhile, Jordans King Abdullah II has characterised the cartoon as irresponsible and reckless. A statement from Jordans royal palace said continuation of publishing the cartoon is an insult to the feelings of Muslims everywhere. The king, believed to be a descendant of Mohammed, added that, at times like these, there is a need for wisdom, dialogue and open-endedness... and of working in a constructive manner to boost the values of respect, compassion and common values. On Tuesday in the northwestern city of Peshawar, a hard-line cleric led a memorial service for the brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi who attacked the satirical paper and praised their assault. About 40 people attended, with some carrying banners condemning the magazine and chanting praise for the Kouachis. The magazine yesterday published a survivors issue which sold out before more copies of an eventual print run of five million hit newsstands. Copies have since been changing hands on eBay for three-figure sums as customers rush to get their hands on the edition. But many Muslims believe their faith forbids depictions of the prophet and reacted with dismay - and occasionally anger - to the latest cover image. Some felt their expressions of solidarity with Charlie Hebdo after last weeks attack had been rebuffed, while others feared the cartoon would trigger yet more violence. Youre putting the lives of others at risk when youre taunting bloodthirsty and mad terrorists, said Hamad Alfarhan, a 29-year old Kuwaiti doctor. Filipino Muslims set fire to a banner with a picture of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest at what they described as double standard practices of the Western media against Muslims in the wake of global call for condemnation following the terrorist attack at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo Next page »
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 21:06:20 +0000
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