Azerbaijan Paper Investigated For Criticizing Islam

(RFE/RL) November 15, 2006 -- Azerbaijani prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into an Azerbaijani newspaper, after it published an article that said Islam was blocking humanity's development.

The article also argued that the Prophet Muhammad had only created problems for Eastern countries.


The small-circulation newspaper "Sanat" published an article this month that compared European and Muslim values and asserted that Islam was sham religion that suffocated people, pulled them away from freedom, and hindered humanity's development.


The article also asserted that Muhammad was responsible for all misunderstandings of Islam.


(AP)