Anti-Islam film abuse of freedom of expression, says Ban Ki-moon

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Secretary General United Nations (UN) Ban Ki-moon has said that anti-Islam filmmaker abused the freedom of expression.
Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, Ban Ki-moon said that the maker of an anti-Islam film that triggered violent protests across the Muslim world abused his right to freedom of expression by making the movie, which he called a “disgraceful and shameful act.”
It should be mentioned that the film, posted on the Internet under several titles including “Innocence of Muslims,” sparked days of deadly anti-American violence in many Muslim countries, including an assault on the US consulate in Benghazi in Libya in which the US ambassador died.
The UN chief said that freedoms of expression should be and must be guaranteed and protected, when they are used for common justice, common purpose.
“When some people use this freedom of expression to provoke or humiliate some others values and beliefs, then this cannot be protected in such a way.”
He said, “My position is that freedom of expression, while it is a fundamental right and privilege, should not be abused by such people, by such a disgraceful and shameful act.”
It’s worth mentioning here that a California man convicted of bank fraud was taken in for questioning on Saturday by US authorities investigating possible probation violations stemming from the making of the video. He has denied involvement in the film and has now gone into hiding.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on world leaders to speak out and urge all people to respect the values and beliefs of others following recent incidents of intolerance and hatred that are being exploited.
He said “voices of moderation and calm need to make themselves heard at this time.”

2 COMMENTS

  1. The anti-Islam video has finally proved to be a proverbial last straw on the back of the American camel. Whoever is behind this video is clearly not a friend of those who want some sort of face-saving for the US and Obama Administration in Afghan end-game. The video has tried to prove that American intervention in Libya and Tunis was an Obama misadventure and that the pliant regimes in these countries and that in Egypt Obama helped topple were in America’s political interests. The video has not only triggered violence, it has given an excuse to Afghan Taliban to intensify their attacks on American forces in Afghanistan. Whoever made the video should be declared as America’s Enemy Number One. Read more at: http://passivevoices.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/ant

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