Egypt to prosecute 7 Copts and US pastor Terry Jones over “The Innocence of Muslims” film
Egypt’s general prosecutor issued arrest warrants on Tuesday for seven Coptic Christians and a Florida-based US pastor linked to an anti-Islam film that has sparked riots across the Muslim world.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Egypt-to-prosec...
The case is largely symbolic since the seven men and one woman are believed to be outside of Egypt and unlikely to travel to the country to face the charges. Instead, the prosecutor's decision to take legal action appears aimed at absorbing at least some of the public anger over the amateur film, Al Ahram reports.
It could however have serious implications for Egypt’s Coptic community, a Coptic teacher in southern Egypt received a prison sentence for Facebook postings deemed anti-Islamic, charges that predated the film “The Innocence of Muslims.”
The lawyer Mohamed Hamed Salem says he will take legal action aimed at having YouTube blocked in Egypt until all anti-Islam content is removed from the leading video-sharing website, according to Al Ahram.
The conflict between the western concept of freedom of expression and the muslim world’s indignation at any criticism is growing. Western politicians are beginning to recognise that insulting depictions of the prophet will mean that lives are lost in reprisal attacks and an appropriate means of preventing this needs to be found.
It could however have serious implications for Egypt’s Coptic community, a Coptic teacher in southern Egypt received a prison sentence for Facebook postings deemed anti-Islamic, charges that predated the film “The Innocence of Muslims.”
The lawyer Mohamed Hamed Salem says he will take legal action aimed at having YouTube blocked in Egypt until all anti-Islam content is removed from the leading video-sharing website, according to Al Ahram.
The conflict between the western concept of freedom of expression and the muslim world’s indignation at any criticism is growing. Western politicians are beginning to recognise that insulting depictions of the prophet will mean that lives are lost in reprisal attacks and an appropriate means of preventing this needs to be found.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Egypt-to-prosec...