Egypt State Information Service (Cairo)

Egypt: Episcopal Church Calls for UN Blasphemy Declaration

16 September 2012
Photo: Libya AlHurra Livestream
Libyans in Benghazi are making sure that the world knows that they do not support those responsible for the deadly attack on the U.S. embassy.

The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, Mouneer Hanna Anis, on Saturday 15/9/2012 called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to issue a declaration that prohibits blasphemy.

In a letter to Ban, Anis said such a declaration will not run counter to freedom of speech, but it prevents using this right to insult religious sanctities.

"We believe that mutual respect and brotherhood are the only ways for peaceful coexistence," Ani said in the letter.

Anti-US protests erupted across the Muslim world against a US-produced film deemed insulting to Prophet Muhammad. The film is said to have been produced by US pastor Terry Jones and co-produced by some Egyptian Coptic expatriates.

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