An Interview With the Prophet

Ehsan Jami is an ex-Muslim in the Netherlands. His prominent public apostasy has put his life at risk, and he has been physically attacked for his lapse from Islam.

Last winter he announced that he was making a cartoon about Mohammed that included scenes of the Prophet with his child bride Aisha. The reaction from the usual suspects was swift and fierce, and Mr. Jami was forced to cancel his project. It was rumored at the time that the Dutch government had notified him that his security detail would be withdrawn if he proceeded with his movie, and that was enough to bring him to heel.

For a full list of previous articles on Ehsan Jami, see the bottom of this post.

A couple of months ago Mr. Jami announced that he was making a new movie. A release date has just been specified, and details about the movie are now available. Our Flemish correspondent VH has translated this report from Elsevier:

VVD: In case of censorship, Jami may offer his Mohammed film to us

By Robbert de Witt

It is still “too premature” to say whether the filmed interview with a masked prophet Muhammad will be shown in the “Freethinkers’ Area” in the parliamentary building, the VVD says. But if the movie is censored, the ex-Muslim Ehsan Jami may offer his “Interview with Mohammed” to the VVD, a spokesman of the VVD told elsevier.nl.

In the English-language movie that will be presented on December 10, Jami interviews the prophet Muhammad. In the film the prophet wears a mask.

Apostasy

In the ten-minute film, the subjects are women’s rights, Jews, and apostasy. Mohammed also looks back on his life of fourteen hundred years ago. The big question is whether Jami will get the opportunity to present his film to the public. Previously, broadcasters refused to air Geert Wilders’ Fitna.

One possibility is to show “Interview with the Prophet” in the “Freethinkers’ Area” that has been founded by the PVV [Party for Freedom, Geert Wilders’ party] and the VVD [People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy] in the parliamentary building [Tweede Kamer].

Censorship

The VVD lets it be known that it is too premature to say anything about it here. However, the spokesman for the fraction emphasizes that the Freethinkers’ Area is explicitly intended for censored cases. If his film cannot be shown anywhere due to censorship, then Jami may offer his film to the VVD. The VVD will then consult him on the showing, the party promises.

Threats

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A previously announced film about the Prophet was cancelled by Jami. Jami had received threats from abroad when it became known there that he was working on the animated film “The Life of Mohammed”, about the life of the prophet. He further wanted to comply with “serious concerns” of Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin (CDA, Christian Democrats). Jami has now invited Hirsch Ballin for the premiere of his new film.

Sidebar:

Trouble

Dr. Afshin Ellian, a professor of Iranian descent in Leiden and daily blogger on elsevier.nl, thinks the Iranian media will certainly pay attention to the film: “Iran will be angry again. There will be trouble.”

“In the newspapers, which are actually controlled by the state security services, they will certainly make noise about it. Iran already has a problem with the Netherlands because this country chooses the side of Americans too much in the debate over Iran’s nuclear program,” says Ellian, who has advised Jami previously.

Ellian predicts that Islam critics in Iran will be in danger: “Because of the film, fundamentalist Muslims will distance themselves even more from critics of Islam.”

According to circles close to the Dutch intelligence service, powerful groups within Egypt will put the Muslim world under pressure to take action against the Netherlands when the film is released.

Previous posts about Ehsan Jami:

2007		Sep		8		Ex-Muslims Against… Ex-Muslims!
2008		Mar		27		Another Prophet-Insulting Dutch Movie
		Apr		1		Ehsan Jami Succumbs to Government Intimidation
				17		Ehsan Jami Closes His Organization
		Sep		19		Ehsan Jami’s New Movie