How many bodyguards does he wear?
Sis.
Does anyone have more?
No one.
Who pays them?
The Republic of France.
Why do you need to protect yourself?
I was Charlie’s defense attorney.
The French satirical weekly.
Yes, twelve editors were killed by two jihadists in a gun attack in 2015. During the trial of their accomplices in 2020, I made my plea.
What did you claim?
That a free society protects free expression and the right to shit on God.
What does “shit” mean?
Criticize, question, debate, ridicule, mock, satirize or caricature without limits any idea, belief, religion or deity, even the holiest of holies.
Can I satirize democracy, then?
Of course! Satirizing the idea of ??democracy, questioning it, debating it and criticizing it… is what will strengthen it more and better.
Satirize without any criminal punishment.
No legal penalties or punishments from anyone.
Jihadist Islamists disagree.
To them, satirizing Muhammad or Allah is punishable by death.
Does the Koran dictate this?
No! Andalusian Islamists of the 13th century ruled on the issue of blasphemy.
What is blasphemy?
Draw or mention Muhammad or Allah.
How would a jihadist fight back?
“It’s not good to kill to draw things”.
Simple to understand!
Many think: “They looked for it”.
Say something to those who think so.
To think it is monstrous, barbaric, aberrant, wild, inhuman, uncivilized.
Who were the two killers against Charlie Hebdo?
The brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi: Parisians, in their thirties, Islamist fanatics who believed they were avenging Muhammad.
What affront did they think they were avenging him for?
From the publication of caricatures.
How many people did they murder?
With assault rifles they murdered twelve people and wounded eleven, all wonderful journalists and cartoonists.
Is Charlie Hebdo still published?
Yes! Its director, Riss, and its journalists are protected by bodyguards. Its writing is now in a bunker, at an unknown address.
Blessed police protection.
Undoubtedly, but at the same time… what a pity that we need it so that there continues to be freedom of expression in France!
What would have to happen in France to not need this protection?
That the fanatics, rigorists, literalists of religious texts finally understood that God does not speak in anyone’s ear.
There are already non-fanatic Muslims.
And they are the first to be hated by the fans. Muslim defenders of the right to caricature like Amady RatisÃ, Kamal Daoud, Mohamed Sifaoun, Maguib Mafouz, Salman Rushdie… they are sensational!
How do you not be a fanatic?
Understanding one very important thing: Beliefs can never demand respect. Only people have this right!
And not the religions, none?
I only respect people, never ideas, beliefs or opinions! No idea, opinion, belief or religion can demand not to be discussed, criticized, ridiculed, caricatured. No faith or idea has the right not to be attacked!
I take note: all untouchable dogmas deserve to be touched, without exception.
Friends of Charlie Hebdo and all media in a free society live by this luminous maxim!
Do you draw comics, too?
I’m a comic book writer. We free people have come to this world to laugh, to draw, to enjoy our freedoms, to live with our heads held high against the fanatics who would like to impose their neuroses and frustrations on us.
Will the fans learn?
We teach our children to live like this, to enjoy freedom and to laugh at everything.
I’m afraid we’re teaching them to be offended by this and that…
Teach them, not to be stupidly offended, but to retort with good humor and wit.
But isn’t it normal to ask for respect?
“You owe me respect” is a mafia phrase. I will never tell! I defend the right to be disrespectful and I will not give in.
How was the criminal process?
Thirteen people indicted with prison terms, connected to the Kouachi through Koulibali, for an attack on a hypermarket. “We like death more than you like life”, they repeated.
This gives a lot of strength.
More strength confers to prefer life.
