Azeri Journalists Jailed For Reprinting The Danish Muhammed Cartoons

Two journalists have been found guilty in an Azeri court for reprinting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed from Denmark's Jyllands-Posten newspaper that led to riots earlier this year.

Writer Rafika Tagi and editor Samira Sadagatogli were sentenced to two months in a detention facility under the official charge of "using their profession to stir up racial hatred." The cartoons were re-run in Senet on November 1 in support of an article by Tagi entitled "Europe and Us," critical of Islam and Muhammed. Protestors had reportedly demanded death sentences.

This article -- with different spellings on a couple of the names and mention of a two-year sentence -- makes some interesting points: that Azerbaijan is a Western ally in the war on terror; that it is one of only two Muslim countries to send troops to Iraq, that the current political climate is that of resistance to radical Islam, which many feel is an import from more highly politicized countries; and that Sadagatogli had apologized on Azeri television.
 
posted 8:14 am PST | Permalink
 

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