Freedom of speech

A California judge has denied the request of an actress to remove from YouTube an anti-Islam video that has sparked riots in the Muslim world. The actress has complained that she has received death threats over the film trailer, in a lawsuit which she has filed against Google, which owns YouTube, and a man linked to the film. In the woman’s complaint she states that she had been misled by the maker of the film and she was unaware of its anti-Muslim content. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the trailer’s alleged producer, is in hiding. The woman has said that her whole life has been turned upside down in every aspect. Regarding the video she states that it is demoralizing and should be taken off YouTube. Last week YouTube did block access to the video to many countries. According to the woman there was no mention of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during filming or on the set. There were no references made to religion, nor was there any objectionable content of which she was aware. A total of 30 people have died in seven countries as a result of the protests over the film.

The film, which insults Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is wrong and to be frank repulsive. I believe that “freedom of speech” ends at the point where people intend to provoke hatred between nations and religions under the cover of this principle. Insulting the Prophet (pbuh) should be categorized as a form of hate speech comparable to racism. Europe boasts of its freedom of speech, but it has forbidden Holocaust denial, and many well-known writers have been prosecuted for denying it in their books. We will not have peace in the world until we have peace between religions.

S. H. Moulana, Riyadh