MBHR considers “repression of journalists” on religious grounds and out of a sense of revenge unacceptable

On May 30, 2012, the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights (MBHR) distributed statement in connection with the attack on journalist Sergei Aslanyan.

" Indeed ," said in a statement - it seems very strange that professional journalist for no apparent reason, in a program dedicated to cars, suddenly took up criticism of the prophet Muhammad of hell, not embarrassed in expressions. Such behavior is, of course, unacceptable. Even weirder and it is unacceptable that the hosts of the program Vladimir Averin and Tutta Larsen did not immediately stopped and took no reprimand ."

The authors of the statement recalled How " Muslims painfully refer to the facts of insulting their religion and especially the prophet Muhammad hell ", but emphasized that " reprisals against journalists, even allowing insulting attacks on oneself are categorically unacceptable . MBHR calls on offended believers not to "revenge", but to resort to criminal law.

MBHR Director Alexander Brod is convinced that “ what happened [the attack] raises serious questions of the rights and obligations of journalists, their responsibility and ethical sensitivity in the field of coverage of national and religious issues .

Sources

• Statement by the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights in connection with the attack on journalist S. Aslanyan. 2012. May 30.