Muslims take protection of religious sanctities' case to UN

[sonz]

The Islamic Faith Community, an umbrella organisation of 27 Muslim organisations in Denmark plans to refer the blasphemous cartoons first published by the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten insulting Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights after Danish negative ruling of the case.

The Danish Islamic Community organizations filed the complaint against the state of Denmark with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva.

Danish director of public prosecutions refused last week to press criminal charges against Jyllands-Posten, the Danish newspaper that published 12 cartoons depicting the holy Prophet (PBUH) in September 2005.

"The UN is the natural place for us to file our complaint," Ritzau news agency quoted Islamic Community spokesman Kasem Said Ahmad as saying on Friday.

“Our point is that in failing to censure Jyllands-Posten, Denmark has committed a breach of its duties as a signatory of UN conventions on human and political rights as well as international agreements on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination,” Danish Imam Ahmad Akkari, was quoted as saying.

‘Constructive Religious Dialogue - Framework for World Order’

Meanwhile, ‘Constructive Religious Dialogue - Framework for World Order’ conference attended by more than 200 religious scholars from almost 40 countries, was opened Saturday in Isfahan, central Iran.

The two days event was organized with the aim of reaching an international condemnation on the publication of caricatures ridiculing Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) which hurt the Muslims’ feelings across the world.

“The main aim of the conference is to approve the necessity of an internationally acknowledged convention for respecting all religions and their prophets and sanctities,” conference chairman Mahmoud Mohammedi-Araqi said.

The fact that the conference was attended by Christian, Jewish and Zoroastrian scholars emphasizes that not only Muslims were insulted by the cartoons but also the followers of other religions.

“Avoiding further insults against religions and prophets will not only help a better understanding between different religions but also secure global peace,” said Mohammedi-Araqi, who is also head of the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communication.