Censorship in Islamic societies

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member nations highlighted in green. The 57-nation OIC has lobbied at the international level for a global ban on speech criticising Muhammad.[1]

Islamic teachings and argument have sometimes been used to censor opinions and writings throughout history, and there are many cases of censorship in Islamic societies.

One example is the fatwa (religious judgment) against The Satanic Verses (a novel), ordering that the author be executed for blasphemy.

Depictions of Muhammad have inspired considerable controversy and censorship. Some Islamic societies have religious police, who enforce the application of Islamic Sharia law.[2][3]

In non-Islamic countries, Islam has often been cited as a reason for self-censorship. Sometimes this self-censorship is because of threats of violence.[4]

Leaders of the member states of the world's largest Islamic organization, known as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), called for a categorical ban on anything that could be deemed as denigration of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 2012.[1]

  1. ^ a b Kaleem, Jaweed (2012-09-30). "At United Nations, Organization Of Islamic Cooperation Calls For Ban On Insulting Prophet Muhammad". HuffPost. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  2. ^ Gheddo, Piero. "SAUDI ARABIA Catholic priest arrested and expelled from Riyadh — Asia News". Asianews.it. Archived from the original on 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  3. ^ "Middle East | Saudi minister rebukes religious police". BBC News. 2002-11-04. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  4. ^ Miller, Joshua Rhett (22 April 2010). "Comedy Central Censors 'South Park' Episode After Muslim Site's Threats". Fox News. Retrieved 30 July 2012.