Cairo: Egyptian cartoonists on Friday poured scorn on militants, expressing solidarity with the victims of shootings in the Paris offices of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
Private newspaper Al Masry Al Youm carried a cartoon by its caricaturist Anwar showing blood flowing beneath the damaged door of Charlie Hebdo with one hooded gunman telling another: “At last, I can feel that we’ll go to Paradise with a clear conscience!”
Another cartoon on the back page of independent newspaper Al Tahrir portrays a terrorist armed with a gun and a knife holding a man representing the press by renowned Egyptian artist Helmi Al Touni.
Wednesday’s attack, which left 12 dead in the magazine known for its lampooning of Islam, was roundly condemned by Egyptian cartoonists and journalists.
“We believe that creativity and freedom of the press must not be suppressed whatever the reasons,” a union of Egyptian comics artists said. “No one must be killed due to an opinion or a cartoon. It was very hard for us to see human lives finished off in cold blood.”
Several Egyptian meanwhile cartoonists posted pro-Charlie Hebdo caricatures on their Facebook pages. Some of these drawings are titled “Je Suis Charlie”, echoing a global campaign in support of the attacked French magazine.
Egypt’s independent Press Syndicate condemned the attack as atrocious.
“We confirm that the perpetrators of this atrocious crime cannot be regarded as a follower of a noble religion or creed, especially Islam. They are mere savage murders, who are mentally and spiritually twisted,” the union said in a statement.
Egypt, a mostly Muslim country, has been engaged in a military campaign against suspected Islamist insurgents blamed for a spate of deadly attacks since 2013 when the army deposed president Mohammad Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood.
