Iranian Newspaper holds Holocaust Cartoon Competition

Iranian paper wants Holocaust cartoons
By ORLY HALPERN AND AP

One of Iran's biggest newspapers launched a Holocaust caricature competition on Monday, in what it is calling a test of of the limits of Western freedom of expression.

The contest comes in the wake of widespread Muslim protests over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad first printed in a Danish newspaper.

Hamshahri, one of Iran's top five newspapers, published the call for cartoons under the title, "What is the Limit of Western Freedom of Expression?"

"We don't intend retaliation over the drawings of the prophet. We just want to show that freedom is restricted in the West," said Davood Kazemi, executive manager of the contest, who has been cartoon editor at the paper since 1992.

"We expect those papers who published the cartoons (of Muhammad) to reproduce the cartoons which will be selected during our competition," Kazemi said. "Even Israeli cartoonists could send their works to the contest." He added that the paper would not accept any "insulting" cartoons but he did not elaborate what would constitute insulting.

The paper promised a gold coin to each of the 12 winners. The contest idea was meant to "measure the sanctity of the freedom of expression among the Westerners," said the newspaper's Web site.

The paper's editor blasted European newspapers for having double-standards regarding the publishing of cartoons which might offend Jews compared to those which might offend Muslims.

The deadline for entries is May 5 and each contestant can submit up to three cartoons.

Continued - http://snipurl.com/mjf0