Hypocrisy on freedom of expression exposed

THE confrontation between the Russian Embassy and the French government over a satirical cartoon published by the embassy glaringly exposes the hypocrisy of France and its stance on freedom of expression.

French leaders have brazenly trumpeted that they are a fully fledged constitutional democracy and allow dissent without fear or prejudice.

Let me try to lay out the main path of argument, which is rather lost amid Emmanuel Macron’s digressions and verbiage. It was former president Francois Hollande who gloated, during the Charlie Hebdo fiasco, that France’s commitment to freedom of expression is “non-negotiable”.

Why the volte-face over a Russian satirical cartoon? France colonised Algeria for 132 years, committing war crimes and testing nuclear weapons in the Sahara that affected thousands of Algerians, without apologising for their atrocities or paying compensation. Let history record that as many as 29 countries that were under occupation in the continent are still pursuing reparations for the crimes and are awaiting the return of the wealth looted from their lands.

Freedom of expression applies to everyone in France, except Muslims and our religion. Suddenly a Russian cartoon attacking Europe is found to be unacceptable. Hurtful depictions of Islam are acceptable and defiant gestures in defence of free expression. This combination of Voltairean bravado and selective restrictive measures has created a deeply contradictory attitude towards free speech.

The French government’s rhetoric on free speech is not enough to conceal its shameless hypocrisy (Amnesty International). It is hard to understand the French reaction to the Russian cartoon against its vigorous defence of the right to depict Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in cartoons. Restrictions must be justified on the anvil of necessity and not the quicksand of convenience or expediency.