Eleven editors of Danish newspapers are currently being sued for blasphemy and for causing religious unrest between Muslims and Christians in Jordan, by reprinting the Muhammed cartoons.
There is some precedence to newspapers being sued in foreign countries. Two months ago an Icelandic bank won a libel suit against a Danish newspaper, in London.
Meanwhile, the Western High Court in Denmark is set to hear a petition against Jyllands-Posten by seven Muslim organizations, saying they had been slandered by the newspaper when it published the Muhammed cartoons in 2005.
In 2006 the court in Aarhus acquitted the chief editor, Carsten Juste, and culture editor, Flemming Rose. The Muslim organizations appealed to the high court, asking for the most severe punishment available and for 50,000 kroner in compensation.
In contrast to the first court case, this time Islam researcher and Copenhagen University professor Jørgen Bæk Simonsen will be called upon as witness to answer whether the cartoons were likely to insult Muslims and will also talk about their impact.
The court will judge the case on Monday and Tuesday.
Sources: Monsters and Critics (English), Berlingske 1, 2 (Danish)
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