The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, condemned the publication of the book “Tyranny of Silence” in Denmark Thursday. The book, containing denigrating caricatures and cartoon of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), hit the stores in Denmark Thursday amid concerns over a backlash from the Muslim world. The cartoons were first published by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in 2005, resulting in condemnation from Muslims around the world. Ihsanoglu expressed his dismay and disappointment at the release of the book despite the fact that he, and some leaders of Muslim countries, had personally written letters to the foreign minister of Denmark, urging the Danish government to stop the publication of the book because of its highly provocative and inciting content. He reiterated this position when he met with the foreign minister of Denmark recently on the sidelines of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly. Emphasizing the moral responsibility of the political leadership of Denmark, Ihsanoglu said the publication of the book was a deliberate attempt to incite prejudice and animosity. This would undermine the ongoing efforts of the international community to promote understanding and peaceful coexistence among people of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. Referring to a statement issued by the Danish Foreign Ministry, the secretary general said the publication constituted a flagrant violation of the stipulation of Article 20 of the 1966 International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. In addition, he said the Danish Criminal Code, in section 140, stipulates that people's religious feelings should be protected against mockery and scorn; and in section 266 stipulates that groups of persons should be protected against scorn and degradation on account of their religion, among other things. He added that the publication of the book substantiates the OIC's argument that certain motivated groups and individuals are abusing freedom of expression laws to fuel hatred towards Islam and Muslims in some parts of the Western world.
