Why hasn’t been Zdvizhkou sentenced to death by hanging?
17- Alyaksandr Stakykevich, “Salidarnasts”
- 23.01.2008, 13:19
Iranian court almost at the same time as Belarusian one has passed a sentence in the case of insulting the Prophet Muhammad. It is worth mentioning that the punishment was identical, 3 years of imprisonment.
On January 22 in Iran a court sentenced the head of the National Federation of Teachers to 3 years of imprisonment for participation in preparing examination questions which were found not respectful enough towards the Prophet Muhammad. The name of the convicted and details of the case are not revealed. It is only known that a miserable teacher stays in prison since March 2007.
The news from Iran hasn’t been surprising, as it is a usual practice there. And the fact that a former deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Zhoda” Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou (Sdvizhkov) was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment last Friday in Belarus, has created a sensation for many. He had reprinted well-known Muhammad cartoons.
It looks like somebody wants to look a better Islamist than Ahmadinejad.
The trial over Zdzvizhkou is a good opportunity to demonstrate some Arabic leaders something like: “We be of one blood, thou and I”. And if it is so, let’s produce oil on more favourable terms.
The value of the matter in dispute is such that Zdzvizhkou could have easily been sentenced to a death by hanging. But as the yesterday’s trial has demonstrated, it’s too much even for Iran…
Simultaneously Belarusian journalists have been reminded that “there are prophets in their own country”. And the prospect of joining Zdzvizhkou in prison cell is not the most attractive for them.
It is possible that official Minsk’s gesture would be appreciated by Teheran. As for the response of Europe… As one actress said, “I lost my face long ago, but I have benefited from it greatly”.
There are only a few by-effects. The statements by A. Lukashenka that “Belarus is a center of Europe” or a “heart of Europe”, or a “visiting card of Europe” have finally lost their meaning.
Geographically our country is situated in Europe indeed. But we are still living in Asia, as the recent developments have demonstrated.
