Hamburg newspaper firebombed after reprinting Mohammed cartoons

January 14, 2015

Reporters Without Borders is appalled by last night’s arson attack on the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper after it published several Mohammed cartoons as a tribute to the Charlie Hebdo journalists who were murdered last week.

Rocks and a firebomb were thrown through the Hamburg-based newspaper’s basement widow, starting a small fire that damaged files but caused no injuries.

Although the motive for the attack has not been identified, it came two days after the newspaper reprinted several of the Mohammed cartoons that were published by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

“We firmly condemn this arson attack,” Reporters Without Borders deputy programme director Virginie Dangles said. “Media freedom is a non-negotiable fundamental right. Attacks of this kind against media or journalists are completely unacceptable.”

The car of a photojournalist who often covers neo-Nazi demonstrations was the target of an arson attack in Berlin last month. He was one of 18 photojournalists whose names and photos appeared on a “wanted list” posted online in November by far-right activists.

Germany is ranked 14th out of 180 countries in the 2014 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

For more information contact:
Reporters Without Borders
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Website: www.rsf.org