The freedom to publish 'irreligious' cartoons

Abstract

The attacks on Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 elicited an international reaction not merely of outrage in the face of an act of violence, but of solidarity with the right of journalists to publish irreligious cartoons-summed up in the ubiquitous use of the phrase 'Je Suis Charlie'. The implication was that the freedom to publish cartoons of this nature should be cherished and protected. In this article, this proposition is critiqued. It is argued first, for various reasons, that it is impossible to conclude that the freedom to publish such cartoons is inherent insofar as international human rights law is concerned. Secondly, it is suggested that the arguments as to why there should be a right to publish such cartoons are open to criticism. Finally, it is concluded that the real explanation for the Je Suis Charlie reaction may derive from the broader ideological conflict between the Islamic and western orthodoxies.