Muhammad al-Asadi : Marked for death for publishing the Mohammed Cartoons

The bloodthirsty Cartoon Jihadists want to execute an Arab newspaper editor in Yemen. Via BBC:

Yemeni lawyers have called for a newspaper editor to be sentenced to death for showing cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, his paper says.

Muhammad al-Asadi was arrested after his publication, the Yemen Observer, showed the Danish cartoons in February.

He denies the charges of offending Islam, under which he is being tried.

The English-language newspaper has had its licence to publish suspended, although its staff have continued to produce material online.

Lawyers leading a civil case against publishers of the cartoons - in addition to the public case - cited precedents from Muslim history when the prophet was insulted by a woman and then praised her killer.

Prosecutors have reportedly requested that the Yemen Observer be closed permanently and have its property and assets confiscated.

What makes the case against al-Asadi all the more insane is how and why the Yemen Observer published the cartoons: the paper published thumbnail copies of some of the cartoons in its Feb. 4 edition, but covered them with a thick black cross to show its disapproval. In two accompanying articles, the paper condemned the cartoons and provided negative reactions from Muslims worldwide. Despite the context, the Cartoon Jihadists want al-Asadi dead because the thumbnail of one of the cartoons–only 1.5cm [0.6 of an inch] by 2cm [0.8 of an inch], he notes–appeared on the front page.

The Yemen Observer reports on the circus in the courtroom:

Up to 21 prosecution lawyers called for the death penalty for Mohammed Al-Asadi, the Editor-in-Chief of the Yemen Observer, and the permanent closure of the newspaper, during Al-Asadi’s trial on Wednesday.

The lawyers, commissioned by Sheik Abdul-Majid Zindani, the Chairman of Islah Shura Council and led by Mohammed Al-Shawish, also called for the confiscation of all the newspaper’s property and assets, and for financial compensation to be paid to be the Muslim’s ‘Finance House’, which last existed during the time of the Caliphs, 1200 years ago.

They recounted a story in which a lady was killed during the Prophet’s lifetime after she insulted him, and that the Prophet then praised the killer. They said that they wanted the same punishment to be applied on “those who abuse the Prophet” (PBUH).

The trial of Al-Asadi, which took place in the General South-West Court in Sana’a, was adjourned for two weeks, until March 22.

Al-Asadi, who denies all charges, is accused in connection with allegations of republishing insulting cartoons first printed in Denmark of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). The newspaper published thumbnail images of the cartoons in the February 4 edition, which were obscured with a thick black cross.

Twelve of the prosecution lawyers turned up to the trial, crowding and jostling each other in the busy court room. Several times the lawyers disagreed among themselves, and the judge ordered them to organize their team better.

They also demanded personal financial compensation for the psychological trauma they claimed they suffered by the actions of the newspaper, which they said has impaired their ability to do their jobs and follow their normal daily lives…

…The defense team read out an Arabic translation of the two articles that accompanied the crossed out images of the cartoons.

They said that the articles made it clear that the newspaper had condemned the cartoons, had defended Islam and the Prophet (PBUH), and had reported the different reactions from all across the Arab and Islamic world.

They demanded that the translations be included in the file case.
However, both Attorney General and the prosecution team both claimed that the charges rested on the pictures alone, and that the accompanying articles were therefore not part of the case.

Al-Asadi, who has already spent 12 days in prison but was released on bail two weeks ago, said: “I am disappointed at the length of time that this ordeal is taking, and at the way the accusations are made.

“I was surprised at what they asked for, and the damage to the newspaper they want. They want the assets of the newspaper – its computers, equipment and its buildings, as well its money to be confiscated.”

The prosecution lawyers claimed that Al-Asadi and the Yemen Observer should thank them for seeking to solve the issue through the court, and avoid potentially violent reactions from people on the street. However, the defense team said they regarded such comments as a veiled threat of violence.

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Sign a petition to help free al-Asadi by sending an e-mail to moyen-orient2@rsf.org. More info here.

Freedom’s Zone: Help Save A Man’s Life

Pia Causa

American Daughter: The shame of Yemen

Contact the Yemen embassy:

Embassy of the Republic of Yemen
2319 Wyoming Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20008
Telephone: (202) 965-4760
Fax: (202) 337-2017

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Background:

FOXNews.com - Cleric’s Lawyers: Death to Yemeni Publisher of Muhammad Cartoons
Washington Post - Arab Press on Trial Again
Jane at Armies of Liberation: al-Asadi trial begins
Newsweek interview: “Of course, I’m afraid”
The war on the free press
American newspapers, will you please stand up?
The cowardly American media
In search of a brave American newspaper
First, they came for the cartoonists

Related:

Jim Hoft notes the latest activities banned by radical Islamists: folk-dancing, kite-flying…and eating Danish cheese?

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