The Apology
Newspaper apologises for offending Muslims
By The Copenhagen Post
Daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten apologises to Muslims for stepping on their religious feelings by publishing caricatures of Mohammed
Four months after publication of caricatures of the prophet Mohammed, Denmark's largest newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, apologised to the Arab world on Monday for publishing a series of caricatures depicting the prophet Mohammed. The newspaper said it never intended to harm the feelings of Muslims, and that it had published the cartoons as part of an ongoing public debate on freedom of expression. 'In our opinion, the 12 drawings were sober. They were not intended to be offensive, nor were they at variance with Danish law, but they have indisputably offended many Muslims for which we apologize,' wrote editor-in-chief Carsten Juste in an open letter to all Muslims on Monday.
Jyllands-Posten's apology comes as a boycott of Danish goods that began last week spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and to Pakistan. The boycott, as well as diplomatic recalls by Saudi Arabia and Libya, was an expression of Muslims' dissatisfaction over the Danish government's reaction to the drawings, considered blasphemous by many Muslims. The prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has repeatedly stated that the matter is a free speech issue, and something that is beyond his powers to influence. 'A Danish government cannot say 'sorry' for a Danish newspaper,' Rasmussen said to national broadcaster TV2 on Monday.
Nevertheless, Rasmussen did take steps to distance himself from the drawings: 'My personal respect for people's religious beliefs means that I would never represent Mohammed, Je sus, or another religious figure in a way that would offend others.'
By The Copenhagen Post
Daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten apologises to Muslims for stepping on their religious feelings by publishing caricatures of Mohammed
Four months after publication of caricatures of the prophet Mohammed, Denmark's largest newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, apologised to the Arab world on Monday for publishing a series of caricatures depicting the prophet Mohammed. The newspaper said it never intended to harm the feelings of Muslims, and that it had published the cartoons as part of an ongoing public debate on freedom of expression. 'In our opinion, the 12 drawings were sober. They were not intended to be offensive, nor were they at variance with Danish law, but they have indisputably offended many Muslims for which we apologize,' wrote editor-in-chief Carsten Juste in an open letter to all Muslims on Monday.
Jyllands-Posten's apology comes as a boycott of Danish goods that began last week spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and to Pakistan. The boycott, as well as diplomatic recalls by Saudi Arabia and Libya, was an expression of Muslims' dissatisfaction over the Danish government's reaction to the drawings, considered blasphemous by many Muslims. The prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has repeatedly stated that the matter is a free speech issue, and something that is beyond his powers to influence. 'A Danish government cannot say 'sorry' for a Danish newspaper,' Rasmussen said to national broadcaster TV2 on Monday.
Nevertheless, Rasmussen did take steps to distance himself from the drawings: 'My personal respect for people's religious beliefs means that I would never represent Mohammed, Je sus, or another religious figure in a way that would offend others.'
posted by hrights @ 10:09 AM
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