http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23700

Bangladesh 19 September 2007

Cartoonist arrested over harmless play on name Mohammed

Reporters Without Borders calls for the immediately release of Arifur
Rahman, a cartoonist with Aalpin, the daily newspaper Prothom Alo's
weekly satirical supplement. He was arrested at his Dhaka home on 17
September over a cartoon that was a play on the name Mohammed. The
government's press department said the cartoon "hurt religious
sentiments." All copies of the supplement were seized. Prothom Alo
apologised and fired the supplement's deputy editor.

"The play on words had no intention of attacking the Prophet,"
Reporters Without Borders said "It was a joke about a cultural
custom. The government should not yield to pressure from extremist
leaders who are trying to politicise the case. Rahman should not be
made a scapegoat. He must be freed."

The cartoon appeared on page 6 of the 17 September issue.
Entitled "Name," it made harmless fun of the custom in Muslim
countries of putting the name Mohammed in front of one's given name.
The drawing was accompanied by this dialogue:

Boy, what's your name?
My name is Babu.
It is customary to put Mohammed in front of the name.
What is your father's name?
Mohammed Abu.
What is that on your lap?
Mohammed cat.

Religious leaders have called for the cartoonist to be severely
punished and for Prothom Alo, one of the country's leading dailies,
to be closed. Copies of the newspaper have been burned outside one of
the capital's mosques.


cartoon