The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu strongly condemned the tragic killing of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya along with three other Consulate officials in Benghazi. In a statement issued in Jeddah today, the OIC Secretary General said that he was shocked by the reprehensible act which could not be condoned on any grounds. He also expressed grave concern attack at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. He said the violence that had emanated from emotions aroused by a production of a film had hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims. The two incidents demonstrated serious repercussions of abuse of freedom of expression that OIC had consistently been warning against. The OIC Secretary General added that while the film was a deplorable act of incitement, resorting to violence resulting in loss of innocent lives could not be condoned. The OIC Secretary General called for restraint and urged the concerned law enforcing officials to take all necessary measures to bring the situation under control. He added that the international community could not be held hostage to the acts of extremists on either side. The Secretary General believed that the solution could only be found by addressing the issues pertaining to the freedom of religion and freedom of expression through structured international engagement and referred to the OIC initiative embodied in UN Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18 and the Istanbul Process for its consensual implementation which provide with the avenues for such engagement.
