Rising tensions over new Muhammed caricatures

Right in the middle of the tensions about the anti-Islam film, a French magazine has added fuel to fire by publishing new Muhammed caricatures. Critics accuse the publicaton of intenionally provoking the Muslim world. For years already, the satire magazine Charlie Hebdo has had a reputation for causing a stir with its controversial headlines and biting humor. Now, the French publication is following up on that. The magazine has put a Muhammed caricature on its front cover, despite the tensions and violence across many Muslim countries in reaction to an anti-Islam video. The caricature shows a Muslim with a turban – intended to depict the prophet Muhammed – in a wheelchair being pushed by a Jew. Inside the copy, the magazine picks up on the controversy around the anti-Islam video produced in the United States. Just like in the case of the Muhammed caricatures published seven years ago in a Danish daily paper, it's about the freedom of expression and the responsibility of the media. While the French government is trying to de-escalate the situation, Charlie Hebdo defends its decision to publish the caricatures as freedom of the press. "We see this publication as a part of a our job and as a free expression of opinion," editor-in-chief Gerard Biard told Deutsche Welle. "If a stupid movie is leading to clashes across almost the entire globe and we journalists are not allowed to comment on that – then who is?" Biard argued. Under the cloak of press freedom? Yet Schirin Amir-Moazami of Berlin University doubts that this is the actual reason. "I am not sure that it's really about protecting press freedom," the Islam expert told DW. It could also be about not just provoking Muslims, but showing them that they are not welcome in France." Amir-Moazami has the impression that the goal is rather to pour more fuel into the fire. Already in November 2011, there were protests outside the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo, after the magazine had published a special edition on the Sharia, the Islamic law. "The magazine is known for its provocations," said Amir-Moazami. Back then, the copies were sold out immediately. The same happened this time. The circulation is around 75,000 copies each week. For the current edition, the magazine plans to print a full second round of copies due to the high demand. Selling more copies Asiem El Difraoui of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs is convinced that the editors simply want to increase their circulation. "Charlie Hebdo wants to get as much media attention as possible," El Difraoui said, suggesting that the Muhammed caricatures essentially are a marketing strategy. She might have a point as the magazine already several times was facing bankruptcy. It was founded in the 1970s, and between 1981 and 1982 even had to shut down for lack of funds. But Charlie Hebdo might be playing a risky game here. The homepage getting shut down by hackers as happened in recent days might be the least of the problems.  French embassies closed.