騒動、欧州全域へ イスラム預言者、漫画化

４カ国で新聞転載
　【ロンドン＝蔭山実】イスラム教の預言者ムハンマドの風刺漫画をデンマークの新聞が掲載し、デンマークとアラブ諸国の対立が深まる中で、ドイツとフランス、イタリア、スペインの四カ国の主要紙計七紙が一日、「報道の自由」を訴えて問題の漫画を相次いで転載し、騒動は欧州全域に広がる気配をみせている。
　欧米のメディアではイスラム社会で報道の自由が理解できないことへの批判が相次いでいる。独紙ウェルトは、爆弾のついたターバンを巻いたムハンマドなどを描いたこの漫画に社説も合わせて掲載し、「イスラム教の世界には風刺を理解する力はないのか。イスラム教徒の抗議は偽善だ」と主張した。
　ドイツなど各国政府は報道の自由には立ち入らない姿勢を示しているものの、内実は国内のイスラム教徒を刺激してしまうとの懸念を強めているようだ。ＢＢＣテレビによると、ドイツのイスラム教徒団体の指導者は漫画の転載に「報道の自由を擁護するためではなく、イスラム教徒への嫌がらせだ」と反発している。
　一方、騒動の震源となったデンマークでは被害が深刻さを増しつつあり、漫画を最初に掲載したユランズ・ポステン紙の従業員が爆弾テロの脅迫を受けて避難するという騒ぎが起きた。デンマークのムラー外相は騒動による危険を察知してアフリカ訪問を延期した。
　デンマーク政府が騒動を収拾させる手立てを見いだせない中、国内の穏健派のイスラム教指導者が、ユランズ・ポステン紙の謝罪を受け入れてイスラム教徒らとの仲裁に乗り出す意向だと伝えられている。

（産経新聞） - 2月2日15時24分更新

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ムスリムにとっては、ムハンマドを風刺したという以前に、ムハンマドの絵を描いたという時点で問題のようです。偶像崇拝とのからみで。

しかし、西洋の進歩主義者は、都合のいいところでは、宗教的相対主義を振り回すようだが、狂信的な福音派などキリスト教原理主義を批判することはあまりしないようだ。

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France enters Muslim cartoon row

The cartoons have already sparked protest across the Arab world

A French newspaper has reproduced a set of Danish caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad that have caused outrage in the Muslim world.

France Soir said it had published the cartoons to show that "religious dogma" had no place in a secular society.

Their publication in Denmark has led to protests in several Arab nations.

Responding to France Soir's move, the French government said it supported press freedom - but added that beliefs and religions must be respected.

Islamic tradition bans depictions of the Prophet Muhammad or Allah.

Under the headline "Yes, we have the right to caricature God", France Soir ran a front page cartoon of Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Christian gods floating on a cloud.

It shows the Christian deity saying: "Don't complain, Muhammad, we've all been caricatured here."

The full set of Danish drawings, some of which depict the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist, were printed on the inside pages.

Bomb threat

The paper said it had decided to republish them "because no religious dogma can impose itself on a democratic and secular society".

The global controversy the cartoons have provoked "has done nothing to maintain balance and mutual limits in democracy, respect of religious beliefs and freedom of expression", it added.

CARTOON ROW 1 Feb: French paper Paris Soir reprints the cartoons 31 Jan: Danish paper apologises 30 Jan: Gunmen raid EU's Gaza office (pictured) 29 Jan: Libya says it will close its embassy in Denmark 28 Jan: Danish company Arla places advertisements in Mid-East newspapers trying to stop a boycott 26 Jan: Saudi Arabia recalls its ambassador 20 Jan: Muslim ambassadors in Denmark complain to Danish PM Outrage bemuses Denmark

In a statement, the French foreign ministry said the decision to publish the pictures was the sole responsibility of France Soir.

The French authorities supported the principle of press freedom, the statement said, adding that that freedom must be exercised "in a spirit of tolerance and with respect for beliefs and religions".

The offices of the Danish newspaper that first published the caricatures, Jyllands-Posten, had to be evacuated on Tuesday because of a bomb threat.

The paper had apologised a day earlier for causing offence to Muslims, although it maintained it was legal under Danish law to print them.

Ministers from 17 Arab countries on Tuesday urged Denmark's government to punish Jyllands-Posten for what they described as an "offence to Islam".

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the paper's apology but defended the freedom of the press.

The images' publication in Denmark has provoked diplomatic sanctions and threats from Islamic militants across the Muslim world.

Thousands of Palestinians demonstrated this week in the Gaza Strip, burning Danish flags and portraits of the Danish prime minister.

Saudi Arabia has recalled its ambassador to Denmark, while Libya said it was closing its embassy in Copenhagen and Iraq summoned the Danish envoy to condemn the cartoons.