DUSHANBE, February 14, 2012, Asia-Plus -- The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) denounced the publishing by the French weeklies, Le Nouvel Observateur and Le Pèlerin, of anti-Islamic drawings in their last issues, in defiance of the feelings of Muslims all over the world.

In a statement released on February 13, ISESCO described such an act as unethical, deeming it completely at odds with the freedom of expression and its corollary respect for peoples dignity and cultural diversity, and considering it as contrary to the United Nations General Assembly’s Resolution A/RES/65/224, issued on April 11, 2011, which stresses the media’s important role in promoting tolerance and respect for and freedom of religion and belief, and which expressed discontent of the United Nations with the use of print and other media to incite violence and xenophobia  and desecrate religious symbols.

In the same vein, ISESCO strongly criticized Human Rights Watch, which asked the Moroccan authorities to back-pedal on the decision to ban the two magazines under the pretext of freedom of expression, thus disregarding the aforementioned UN General Assembly’s resolution, and contributing, through such a position, to supporting acts of hatred, religious discrimination and desecration of the sanctities of 1.5 billion Muslims around the world.

In its statement, ISESCO also reiterated support for the Moroccan government''s position in this regard, and called upon all Member States to stand against all deliberate denigration of Muslims’ sanctities and religion, and to express their denouncement of any attempt to defame Islam, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and Islamic symbols.