No Result
View All Result
Monday, February 6, 2023
13 °c
Tripoli
14 ° Tue
13 ° Wed
14 ° Thu
13 ° Fri
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
 
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

Cartoon trial resumes Sunday: Amnesty International calls for it to be dropped

byMichel Cousins
June 17, 2013
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
12
SHARES
52
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Imad Cheklif.

Tripoli, 15 June 2013:

Two members of Libyan National Party (LNP) could face the death penalty tomorrow because of a controversial . . .[restrict]cartoon used during the Congress election campaign in 2012. However, the defenders claim that the prosecution’s case is based on a chronological mistake that is being deliberately exploited for political reasons.

Amnesty International has called for the case to be dropped. It has called it “ludicrous”.

The trial of Libyan National Party policy manager Ali Omar Tekbali and its General-Secretary Fathi Sager, which opened in May, is scheduled to continue tomorrow at Tripoli’s Criminal Court. Among the accusations against the two men is that they spread discord among Libyans, as well as incitement to hatred and insulting the Prophet Mohamed and Islam. Two of the charges carry the death penalty.

RELATED POSTS

Top law firm joins new British Libyan Business Association

An academy with a difference in Tripoli

At issue is an election poster with a cartoon calling for gender equality and women’s rights, produced during the  campaign for GNC seats last June. The picture had a group of men discussing the role of women in Libyan society. Among them was a bearded figure, similar to the representation of the Prophet Mohamed used in an anti-Islamic comic strip published by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, three months later. 

Tekbali say that to make the LNP stand out from among the hundreds of political entities during the election, he decided to create a cartoon poster to support women’s rights. He produced one in the middle of which a young women, wearing a scarf and with books under her right arms, is ready to go to university. She is surrounded by four male cartoon figures who give their opinions about her.

“I wanted to represent the three different categories of men: two young men who belong to LNP, a middle-aged man and an old and conservative, bearded one. The young men say: “Women are a complementary partner [of men] in the community”. The middle-aged man says: “Women… are a part of the community” and the conservative, bearded, old man says: “For God’s sake, what’s she doing outside the house? ”, said. Three phrases follow the cartoon in the poster: “Healthy societies are made by men and women”, “Men and women are two branches from a same tree”, and “Youth of today is the key of tomorrow”.

The poster had been on the streets of Tripoli for weeks during the electoral campaign period, without any complaints, says Tekbali a professor of geology and writer. “I wrote my phone number on the poster, so people could call me. I never got any complaints.” A few months later, however, a man went to the District Attorney with the poster and an edition of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The magazine had stirred up a great deal of fury when in 2007 it re-published the notorious Danish cartoons insulting the Prophet in 2006. And in September 2012, it again published offensive cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed.  These led to widespread protests throughout the Muslim world and were seen as a trigger for the 11 September Benghazi violence, which resulted in the murder of four Americans, including ambassador Chris Stevens in an assault on the US consulate.

Last November, the offices of the Libyan National Party were raided by a unit of the Supreme Security Committee and closed down. Shortly afterwards, Tekbali was summonsed by the District Attorney. He accused Tekbali of using the cartoon to mock Islam and the Prophet. During the meeting, claims Tekbali, he showed an edition of Charlie Hebdo. But he pointed out that “this publication was dated September 2012”, three months after he made his poster. After the meeting, Ali Omar Tekbali was pretty confident that the case would go no further. But, it was then filed by the District Attorney.

Tekbali claims he picked the cartoon from internet which, he says, proves that the cartoon could not be the same as the one mentioned in the report. “I chose a picture from “Google Images”. I typed in “Muslim men with beards”. There were a lot of pictures with no text. I have no idea where the cartoon I took comes from originally. By the way, I wrote an article criticising the Charlie Hebdo magazine when they published picture of the Prophet. In the poster, the character I chose represents a part of the society; he has nothing to do with the religion. It is obvious when you read the cartoon”, Tekbali argued.

On 13rd of February 2013, Ali Tekbali and the LNP’s lawyer, Suleiman Elmensli, met the judge. “The judge asked me if I wanted to insult Islam or the Prophet with the poster. I replied: ‘I am Muslim, I will never insult my religion’”, Tekbali stressed.

“I am pretty confident for two reasons. First, the DA’s file refers to a magazine published months after the event. And when you look at the poster, it is all about social issues, not religion. And the article 15 of the constitutional declaration ensures the freedom of speech for political parties. But if it goes to trial, I fear it may establish a precedent”, LNP’s lawyer told the Libya Herald.

“I believe in the justice of my country,” says Tekbali. “I am confident. I am sure the case will be dismissed. I have done nothing wrong.” He adds that the Dean of the Faculty of Science of Tripoli University wrote a letter to support asserting he had never heaed Takbali speak disparagingly of Islam.

For his part, Fathi Sager has never spoken to the media.

“The charges against Ali Tekbali and Fathi Sager are ludicrous and must be dropped immediately” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s MENA programme director, “If convicted on these charges Ali Tekbali and Fathi Sager would be prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to free expression.”

The human rights’ organisation has pointed out that some of the laws under which the two politicians have been indicted are from the Qaddafi era and were used to suppress dissent. These include spreading discord among Libyans and seeking “to change basic principles” of the constitution.

Sahraoui continued: “It’s been almost two years since Libya guaranteed freedom of expression in its constitutional declaration. The authorities must stand by that pledge and urgently repeal all laws which criminalise freedom of expression and assembly and impose the death penalty.

“It is outrageous to think that speaking out on women’s rights has become a crime punishable by death at a time when Libyan women are calling for increased participation in public life and the Constitution-drafting process.” [/restrict]

Tags: Amnesty InternationalLibya
Share5Tweet3Share1

Related Posts

Sebha and Cordoba University sign cooperation agreement
Libya

Sebha and Cordoba University sign cooperation agreement

February 5, 2023
Aldabaiba attempts to solidify his position and continues to entrench rentier state with a spree of handouts
Libya

Delaying Eni gas deal would turn Libya into a gas importer by 2027: PM Aldabaiba

February 3, 2023
UNHCR finds war criminals on all sides in the conflict
Libya

Libya must take decisive steps to address serious rights violations: UN Fact-Finding Mission on Libya

January 30, 2023
Prime minister Aldabaiba forms Ministerial committee to study reforming fuel subsidies, orders payment of family grant, increases pensions
Libya

PM Aldabaiba reviews GECOL’s summer plan to avoid power cuts

January 27, 2023
Benghazi University to hold open day on its Artificial Intelligence curriculum
Libya

Benghazi University to hold open day on its Artificial Intelligence curriculum

January 27, 2023
EU to help Libya better design and analyse policies and measure the impact of strategies
Libya

EU to help Libya better design and analyse policies and measure the impact of strategies

January 26, 2023
Next Post

Planned NOC split "now unlikely"

Grand Mufti condemns Sebha-bound convoy ambush

 

Advertise on LibyaHerald

Reach thousands of our site visitors daily

240 x 400px

Advertise Here
ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • Flights between Athens and Benghazi to start on 2 March

    Flights between Athens and Benghazi to start on 2 March

    99 shares
    Share 49 Tweet 21
  • Aldabaiba praises activation of seven domestic airports and start of work on Tripoli International Airport’s terminal

    108 shares
    Share 43 Tweet 27
  • New Eni gas deal with Libya rejected by current Oil Minister and Bashagha

    136 shares
    Share 55 Tweet 34
  • Misrata’s Libya Industries Fair includes participants from Greece, Turkey and the U.S.

    62 shares
    Share 25 Tweet 16
  • Aldabaiba calls for conclusion of new oil agreements at Oil and Gas Sector Support Forum in Istanbul

    61 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

German GTG consortium receives Tawergha site for one MW pilot solar project

Misrata Free Zone launches data hosting centre to provide quantum leap in investor services

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Cart
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Sign In with Facebook
    Sign In with Linked In
    OR

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Sign Up with Facebook
    Sign Up with Linked In
    OR

    Fill the forms bellow to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
    Are you sure want to unlock this post?
    Unlock left : 0
    Are you sure want to cancel subscription?