: French Author On Trial For Anti-Islam Comments

For a country that gave us Jean-Paul Sartre, the Moulin Rouge, and the head of Marie Antoinette, criticizing a religion might not seem like much of an offence. But comments made this month by French novelist Michel Houellebecq have resulted in a scene many Europeans are likening to the worst of Middle Eastern dictatorships – a possible prison sentence for insulting Islam. The furor began when the prize-winning author said he thought Islam was “the stupidest religion” and called the Qur’an, as well as the holy books of Christianity and Judaism, “texts of hate.” France’s Human Rights League joined four Muslim groups on Tuesday (the Paris and Lyon mosques, the World Islamic League, and the National Federation of Muslims in France) to file the lawsuit, saying Houellebecq’s comments amounted to “Islamophobia.” Dalil Boubakeur, of the Paris Mosque, adds: “Freedom of expression stops where it can do harm…I believe my community is humiliated, my religion is insulted, I ask for justice.” Houllebecq, who won the Impac literary prize for “Atomised” (which the New York Times nonetheless called “oddly juvenile”), disagreed. “I do not see how criticizing a religion in an acerbic manner involves them as people,” he said. Houellebecq has found support in many of France’s far-right political parties, members of which were kicked out of courtrooms for wearing anti-Islamic t-shirts and other disruptions. Losing this case may mean up to a year in jail and a 51,000 dollar (er… Euro) fine.

Zahed Amanullah is associate editor of altmuslim.com.  He is based in London, England.