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Charle Hebdo newspaper editor acquitted in France |
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Friday, 23 March 2007 |
Charle Hebdo newspaper editor acquitted in FrancePhilippe Val the editor of satirical French weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo has been acquitted in a French court, which ruled that he hadn’t insulted Muslims by reprinting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad or that he incited racial hatred.
The case, which had been brought by the Grand Mosque of Paris and the Union of French Islamic Organisations was seen as an important test for freedom of expression in France. The court was satisfied that the controversial cartoons were covered by freedom of expression laws and were not an attack on Islam, but rather on terrorists.
 At the announcement of the verdict, it has been reported that applause broke out in the courtroom and Philippe Val said that the ruling was a victory for secular French Muslims. The cartoons, which had sparked of riots in some Muslim countries, had first been published in Denmark in September 2005. Phillipe Val had been facing a maximum fine of nearly 30,000 euros (£20,000; $40,000) and imprisonment for a period of up to six months.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 28 March 2007 )
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