{"id":1252,"date":"2021-01-22T13:21:29","date_gmt":"2021-01-22T12:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=1252"},"modified":"2021-01-22T14:22:57","modified_gmt":"2021-01-22T13:22:57","slug":"what-is-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/1252\/what-is-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"What is freedom?"},"content":{"rendered":"
The unequal struggle between freedom of the press and freedom of religion<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Paris was shocked when twelve employees of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo were murdered in early 2015. The magazine had long been a target because it published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. At the end of 2020, heavy sentences were imposed on fourteen accomplices in the mass slaughter. The lawsuit took place in a year in which it has become clear that France and Europe are far from being rid of terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists. All over the world, freedom of the press and religion remain sensitive issues. What is the relationship between freedom of religion and freedom of the press? Should cartoonists and journalists be more careful about what they publish?<\/em><\/p>\n Three weeks after the trial began, on September 25, 2020, a Pakistani Islamic extremist attacked two people with a knife at Charlie Hebdo’s former editorial office in Paris. In the sixth week of the trial, on October 16, French schoolteacher Samuel Paty was beheaded by a Chechen refugee for initiating a debate on freedom of expression, showing cartoons of Mohammed in class. According to the statement of the France president Macron the murder of the teacher has deeply affected France. Not only because of the human tragedy, but also because the deepest French ideals have been touched. According to the republican ideal, all French are equal, regardless of skin color, religion, ethnic or social origin. The condition is that they respect republican values, such as freedom of expression and the separation between church and state. In this way, different population groups can interact peacefully with each other. At school, all children learn the valeurs de la R\u00e9publique<\/em>, the values \u200b\u200bof the Republic. Macron said after Paty’s death, “he was beheaded because he wanted to teach his students the ideals of freedom and reason.”<\/p>\n If the freedom to publish articles, columns and cartoons comes under pressure, will cartoonists and journalists still be able to do their work? Bart Schaafs is a Dutch cartoonist and publishes in \u2018Knack\u2019 (a Belgium magazine) and \u2018De Morgen Magazine\u2019, among others. Both the attack on Charlie Hebdo and the murder of Samuel Paty made a deep impression. \u201cWhen I heard about the attack on Charlie Hebdo, I was shocked and sad. Because of the beheading of Paty I was now also angry and disappointed. Why? Because we still haven’t gotten any further in the discussion than this. It\u2019s still too hard to talk freely about religion.\u201d<\/p>\n So where is the limit with the publishing of cartoons and satire? Shouldn’t cartoonists be more cautious about what they publish? \u201cBy rights I think that everything is possible and allowed, but at the same time as a draftsman you also have a kind of responsibility. You can’t just say “yes, but it is humor”. To be honest, I think that is an insult to my field. There is also such a thing as context and intention. Who do you want to reach, what do you want to achieve and with your cartoons do you find the people you wanted to reach?\u201d<\/p>\n Not only cartoonists have to deal with ethical considerations when publishing. Journalists worldwide are constantly faced with certain moral and ethical considerations. Janny Groen is a Dutch freelancer and has also worked as an investigative reporter at De Volkskrant. She agrees that you have a responsibility as a journalist. \u201cIn my work as a journalist, I am not sensitive to the vulnerability of others. If you don’t write about it, the limit shifts. This limits the freedom to publish. I think you should make the voices heard (and show both sides of the argument) and let those groups tell their side of the story. Also ask them the question \u2018where is the boundary?\u2019. And you should always try to find a wide range of sources.\u201d<\/p>\n Ken Paulson is the director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University. Paulson has written on issues related to free speech and a free press, freedom to assemble and to petition the government, and freedom of religion.<\/p>\n