UPN, Alm.del - 2005-06

P ReleaseressCouncil of Europe Press DivisionRef: 062a06Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11[email protected]internet:www.coe.int/press46 membersAlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustriaAzerbaijanBelgiumBosnia andHerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaMoldovaMonacoNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbia andMontenegroSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerland“The former YugoslavRepublic ofMacedonia”TurkeyUkraineUnited Kingdom

Council of Europe Secretary General on controversyregarding the caricatures of Prophet MohammadStrasbourg, 06.02.2006 - “The violence, destruction and hate which marredsome of the protests against the publication of caricatures of ProphetMohammad over the weekend are totally unacceptable but I am confident thatthey are not supported by the vast majority of people of Islamic faith, regardlessof how offended they feel by these caricatures”, said Terry Davis in commentingon the controversy regarding the publication of caricatures of ProphetMohammad in several European newspapers.“Everyone needs to act, on the basis of dialogue and mutual respect andprevent any further escalation. Political and religious leaders in the Islamicworld share the responsibility to calm the situation down.As for the caricatures themselves, I must stress that all freedoms, including thefreedom of speech, come with responsibility.The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees the freedom to holdopinions and to receive and impart information and ideas. The European Courtof Human Rights has also repeatedly ruled in favour of this freedom even incases when the views expressed were offensive.But having the right to cause offence does not make it right to do so. It is theresponsibility of editors and journalists to use good judgment in deciding whatshould or should not be published. The publication of caricatures may not havetransgressed any legal boundaries, but it certainly violated ethical norms basedon mutual respect and acceptance of other people’s religious beliefs” concludedthe Secretary General.

A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to promote democracy and human rights

continent-wide. It also develops common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 46 member states.