UN chief says anti-Islam film 'disgraceful, shameless'

UNITED NATIONS - Agence France-Presse

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks to the Federal Convention in Bern, Switzerland, 11 September 2012. Switzerland commemorates its 10th anniversary of its entry into the UN organization. EPA/LUKAS LEHMANN

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the offensive anti-Islam Internet video that ignited worldwide protests was "disgraceful and shameful." Calling freedom of expression and assembly "inalienable" rights, Ban said Wednesday that they "must be guaranteed and protected when they are used for common justice, common purpose." "When some people use this freedom of expression to provoke or humiliate some others' values and beliefs, then this cannot be protected in such a way," Ban added, speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.
 
"Freedom of expression, while it is a fundamental right and privilege, should not be abused by such people, by such a disgraceful and shameful act." The Internet video -- which portrays the Prophet Mohammed as a bloodthirsty womanizer -- sparked violent protests across the Muslim world, including an attack on a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya that left four Americans dead, including US ambassador Chris Stevens.
 
The low-budget, amateurish video appears to have been the work of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, an Egyptian Coptic Christian and convicted fraudster living in California who went into hiding Saturday.
 
Cast members have said they had no idea the video was about Mohammed, as all references to him were dubbed over the original video later.