27 February, 2006

Excellency,

May I draw your attention to our letter of 4 February, 2006 requesting you to convey the religious sentiments of the Muslim community on the publication of the defamatory and blasphemous cartoons in Denmark on 30 September, 2005.

We feel that had your Excellency’s Government and the editor of the paper expressed their regret when representations had been made by the Danish Muslim community, friendly governments like ours, the Ambassadors of the Muslim countries in Copenhagen, the agitation could have been avoided.

We take this opportunity to submit through Your Excellency for consideration by Your Excellency’s Government a constructive suggestion made by the American Jurist Prof. Bernard K. Freamon that the publisher of the cartoon may be prosecuted under Section 266b of the Danish Penal Code which provides for “criminal prosecution and conviction for dissemination of any communication by which a group of people is ‘threatened, insulted or degraded on account of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin or creed…”  The initiative of the prosecution would serve to cool down religious passions all over the Muslim world.

Accept, Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration,

Sincerely,

 (SYED SHAHABUDDIN)

H.E. Mr. Michael Sternberg,

Ambassador of Denmark,

11, Aurangzeb Road,

New Delhi - 110 011.