‘Charlie Hebdo’ shootings and terror attacks in France

Sir, – The ambassadors to the US of the 28 EU member states and the EU delegation issued a joint statement condemning the attack on the staff of Charlie Hebdo. The statement reads in part: “Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are essential elements of any democratic and open society. Each is protected, on both sides of the Atlantic”. Did the Irish Ambassador or delegation struggle with the wording given that the type of expression engaged in by Charlie Hebdo is not protected in Ireland, since it would likely fall foul of section 36 of the Defamation Act 2009, which covers the offence of “publication or utterance of blasphemous matter”? I hope that the Act can be amended to align with our Ambassador’s view. – Yours, etc,

PADRAIC HENEGHAN,

Carpentersville,

Illinois.

Sir, – A culture of extreme and unjustified violence, combined with discrimination and racism, seems to be increasing in societies in the Middle East, the West, and in eastern Europe. The atrocities committed in France are the most recent example. There has been a significant increase in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia across Europe, as well as anti-Christian attacks and persecution associated with conflicts in several Middle Eastern states. In eastern Europe anti-Russian feeling is being fanned by the conflict in Ukraine and by western propaganda.

The right to freedom of speech is being cited as justification for the publication of materials that are deemed offensive to people of certain cultures. All rights and all aspects of freedom carry responsibilities, and it is essential that responsibility is exercised by all societies and by political leaders and media outlets, to avoid inflaming racism and discrimination.

The Huffington Post, in an article entitled “In wake of Charlie Hebdo attack, some media self-censor cartoons”, criticises such self-censorship. Responsible editing and common sense sensitivity to the feelings of others should not be labelled as unacceptable censorship. It is unduly offensive to Jewish people, and to most other people, to make jokes about the Holocaust. Similar sensitivity should be applied to all communities internationally.

It is essential that we should all do our utmost to improve relationships, and to promote peace rather than conflicts, between societies and communities both internationally and within our own countries. Racism and violence are two sides of the same coin. – Yours, etc,

EDWARD HORGAN,

Castletroy,

Limerick.

Sir, – It’s worth remembering that those champions of free speech, who paid the ultimate price for their art this week at the hands of fundamentalist wretches, would have been potentially subject to a fine of €25,000 for every one of their “blasphemous” cartoons from 2009 to today had they been operating in Ireland.

By voting to remove this restriction against the practice of free speech, the Irish public can show that our support for the brave voices at Charlie Hebdo extends beyond hashtags and that we truly believe in the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. – Yours, etc,

JOHN HOGAN

Ballyneety,

Co Limerick.

Sir, – The dreadful killings in Paris bring to mind the words of Blaise Pascal that “men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it out of religious conviction”. There is implicit in these words a call for responsibility and moderation to the leaders of all world religions. Indeed the events in Paris remind us of the danger inherent in all kinds of absolutism. – Yours, etc,

DECLAN MORIARTY,

Finglas,

Dublin 11.

Sir, – Your report containing the words of Dr Ali Selim of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (“Dublin based cleric warns of legal action over religious depictions”, January 8th), to the effect that he would be prepared to pursue a legal action under blasphemy legislation if “an Irish media organisation or social media carried a depiction of Muhammad, an act which Muslims find offensive”, constitutes the best argument so far for the repeal of this ridiculous legislation.

Even the fact that such a thing can be contemplated here, in the light of the appalling attack on freedom of expression in Paris, a nursery of democratic republicanism, is calculated to earn Ireland the opprobrium of the rest of the developed world, and deservedly so. – Yours, etc,

SEAMUS McKENNA,

Windy Arbour,

Dublin 14.

Sir, – I was surprised that Pakistan should join the list of countries that have condemned the murder of 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris on Wednesday. Pakistan currently has about 13 people on death row for committing “blasphemy”, including Asia Noreen Bibi, a Christian mother of three. She was working as a farm labourer in the Punjab in June 2009 when she was wrongly accused of insulting Muhammad. She has been held in prison in appalling conditions ever since. Sean Kenny TD is the only politician to have even mentioned her case in the Houses of the Oireachtas. – Yours, etc,

KARL MARTIN,

Bayside,

Dublin 13.

Sir, – I commend The Irish Times for showing solidarity with Charlie Hebdo. In your editorial (January 8th) you characterised the attack as “not only a barbarous act of terrorism but an assault on freedom of expression, one of the fundamental human rights”.

Is it possible, however, to express true solidarity in Ireland, as your newsroom staff did, with the phrase “Je suis Charlie” when the publication of material satirising any religious beliefs is open to prosecution under our blasphemy law? It is a law that criminalises freedom of expression by giving preference to religious beliefs.

I agree with you that it is “one thing to argue about whether particular expressions of satire are appropriate or tasteful but quite another to claim a right not to be offended”. That is why the offense of blasphemy needs to be taken out of our constitution.

We need to be able to say “Je suis Charlie” and mean it. – Yours, etc,

GERARD GREGORY,

Stillorgan,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – The members of Al-Mustafa Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland wish to extend their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the people of France .

The killing of journalists in Paris on Wednesday was not only an attack on France but also an assault on Islam and the very freedoms that allow 30 million Muslims to prosper in the West.

Unfortunately there is a problem of extremism and radicalisation among a minority of Muslim youth in western countries. It is the responsibility of Islamic leaders to highlight the peaceful and just message of Islam in which there is no space for extremism. – Yours, etc,

Dr MUHAMMAD

UMAR AL-QADRI,

Al-Mustafa Islamic

Educational

and Cultural Centre,

Ireland

Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

Sir, – The murder of the cartoonists in Paris brings to mind Lord Byron’s observation in Don Juan: “And if I laugh at any mortal thing, ’Tis that I may not weep.” – Yours, etc,

Dr JOHN DOHERTY,

Gaoth Dobhair,

Co Dhun na nGall.

Sir, – Irish PEN joins PEN International and 47 PEN centres worldwide, including French PEN, PEN Canada, English PEN and PEN American Centre, in condemning the unprecedented attack on the office of the French publication Charlie Hebdo in Paris in which 12 people died and seven were injured.

We were sickened and shocked by this savage attack and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims and all affected.

As PEN International states, in the face of such violence it is incumbent on all governments and religious leaders to strengthen their commitment to press freedom and to safeguard freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.

PEN stands for the principle of unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations. Irish PEN is part of PEN’s global community of writers, spanning more than 100 countries, which stands together to oppose any form of suppression of freedom of expression. – Yours, etc,

VANESSA

FOX O’LOUGHLIN,

Chairwoman,

Irish PEN,

c/o United Arts Club,

Upper Fitzwilliam Street

Dublin 2.

Sir, – Whoever the attackers are, and whatever the cause may be, nothing justifies the taking of life. Life is very sacred and this brutal attack must be condemned by all the people. The Islamic faith does not allow anyone to take the life of others. Such people are condemned in the holy Quran. In this tragic and difficult time, our thoughts are with bereaved families, people of Paris and people of France.

No religion justifies the indiscriminate killing of individuals in such a barbaric and heartless way, and such acts only serve to differentiate between the misguided and the just. We call upon those that may have even a shred of sympathy for these or like-minded terrorists to shake their conscience and realise that such acts are the work of evil and not the work of God-fearing people. – Yours, etc,

MUHAMMAD AFAZL,

Chairman,

Birmingham

Central Mosque,

Highgate, Birmingham.

Sir, – In the wake of the terrorist killings in Paris the absolute right to “freedom of expression” has been heralded repeatedly, which strikes me as one of the western world’s enduring myths. We have never had to be more careful about what we say, rightly or wrongly, and mindful of ethnicity, gender, social background, sexual orientation, disability, colour and beliefs. At what point does “freedom of expression” slide into offensive behaviour, defamation, blasphemy and downright racism?

The atrocity in Paris must be condemned. However satirists and cartoonists should not go so far as to intentionally offend, insult or incite people of other creeds and beliefs. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression; however the exercise of this right carries with it duties and responsibilities. In a world increasingly divided by religious extremism, with Islamophobia and disaffected Muslim youth going off to fight in the Middle East, we need to respect people of other creeds, promote tolerance, build bridges, not destroy them. – Yours, etc,

RICHARD COFFEY,

Terenure,

Dublin 6W.