Freedom of expression should stop if it offends Muslims: Sisi

CAIRO: Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said Wednesday freedom of expression should stop if it offends more than 1.5 billion Muslims, following the display of blasphemous images in France.

Sisi also said he firmly rejects any form of violence or terrorism from anyone in the name of defending religion, religious symbols or icons.

“We also have rights. We have the right for our feelings not to be hurt and for our values not to be hurt,” he said during an address. “And if some have the freedom to express what is in their thoughts I imagine that this stops when it comes to offending the feelings of more than 1.5 billion people,” he added in televised remarks.

Meanwhile, the Grand Imam of Egypt’s al-Azhar Wednesday called on the international community to criminalise “anti-Muslim” actions, following blasphemous images being displayed in France. Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, who sits at the head of the thousand-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning, also said al-Azhar strongly rejects the use of anti-Muslim sentiment to rally votes in elections.