Charlie Hebdo

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===Irony of Charb's last cartoon===
 
===Irony of Charb's last cartoon===
The last editorial cartoon was headed '''Still no terrorist attacks in France''', above a sketch of a bearded man with a rifle slung over his shoulder. The character is saying "Wait. Season's greetings are good up till the end of January."
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The last editorial cartoon was headed '''Still no terrorist attacks in France''', above a sketch of a bearded man with a rifle slung over his shoulder. The character is saying "Wait. Season's greetings are good up till the end of January."<ref>See [http://media.rtl.fr/online/image/2015/0107/7776128674_1e8dc780-966c-11e4-b62d-077f250d723a-charb.jpg repro by RTL]</ref>
  
 
===The suspects===
 
===The suspects===

Revision as of 23:48, 7 January 2015


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English translation: "100 lashes if you don't die laughing!"
We have the impression that it’s officially allowed for Charlie Hebdo to attack the Catholic far-right but we cannot poke fun at fundamental Islamists
Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier, [1]

Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical, nonconformist newspaper founded in 1970. The paper is generally left-wing, even by French standards (it was even farther-left in the past). Furthermore, the paper is anarchist[2] and opposed to religion, especially Islam.[3] The word Hebdo is a vernacular contraction of hebdomadaire, meaning "weekly."

Contents

Accusations of antisemitism

Controversy arose when a cartoonist working for the magazine named Siné wrote an article about the possible marriage of Jean Sarkozy (son of President Nicolas Sarkozy), that could be interpreted as antisemitic.[4] Publisher Philippe Val fired Siné (then aged 80), who soon retaliated by creating his own newspaper, Siné Hebdo (now discontinued).

Islam

The paper strongly opposes Islamism, classifying it as a totalitarian threat alongside fascism, Nazism and Stalinism.[5] They reprinted the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons leading to criticism.[6] In November 2011 the paper responded to the victory of an Islamist party in Tunisia by jokingly announcing that its next issue would be edited by Muhammad; the cover for this issue featured a caricature of Muhammad and the usual title defaced with a banner reading Charia Hebdo. The day after the announcement the offices of the newspaper were destroyed in a petrol bomb attack.[7]

In September 2012 the magazine decided to feature several satirical drawings of Muhammad highlighting the Islamic overreaction to Innocence of Muslims[8]. The French government immediately closed several embassies and schools worldwide, concerned about retaliation.[9] Through Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, the French government reinforced the right of the French media to free speech, but seemed largely frustrated that this particular publication was simply "throwing oil on the fire" in an attempt to gain publicity. Echoing Fabius, the White House questioned the judgment behind releasing these cartoons.[10]

Reaction from other French media has been mixed:-

  1. Le Monde argues that the fundamental right of free expression is paramount, Liberation claims self censorship is the first step on a path that leads to capitulation, other, mainly left-leaning French newspapers take a similar stance.
  2. Figaro opposes what it calls silly provocation, Sud Ouest calls the publication playing with fire, several mainly right-leaning newspapers are also critical.

This publication has reignited the discussion of limits to freedom of expression, and responsibility of the press. [11][12]

2015 attacks

On 7 January 2015 Charlie Hebdo's headquarters in Paris[13] was assaulted by three armed individuals. During the attack, the assailants killed twelve people, including the magazine's editor, Stephane Charbonnier — widely known by his pen name Charb — plus his police bodyguard, assigned after the 2011 death threats. Also among the victims were well-known cartoonists Cabu, Honoré, Tignous and Wolinski, and one other police officer.[14] A further 7 were wounded. A major manhunt is currently underway.[15]

The latest tweet on Charlie Hebdo's account had been a cartoon of the Islamic State militant group leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.[16]

As this is a current event, this will be updated as details are uncovered.

Irony of Charb's last cartoon

The last editorial cartoon was headed Still no terrorist attacks in France, above a sketch of a bearded man with a rifle slung over his shoulder. The character is saying "Wait. Season's greetings are good up till the end of January."[17]

The suspects

Three men aged 34, 32 and 18 years are the prime suspects. The first two, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, are brothers from the 10th arrondissement of Paris who had recently returned from Syria. The younger man, Hamyd Mourad, has no fixed address but had been registered at a lycée in Charleville-Mézieres.[18] The identification was made from an ID card left in the getaway car.

See also

Footnotes

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