Culture
Wednesday 27 January 2021
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“I saw someone post this and I couldn't believe it. McDonald’s Azerbaijan's official account promoting the military taking of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
This is a verified McDonald’s Instagram account that posted pro-military pictures about Nagorno-Karabakh. The posts are now removed. -
“This is not the first time when France attempts to blame all its problems on the Chechens. I assure you all, Chechens have nothing to do with it.”
Seizing on the killing of a French teacher by a Chechen youth, Kadyrov ignores gross human rights violations under his rule. -
“Which Hollywood [expletive] thought it would be a good idea to cast an Israeli actress as Cleopatra (a very bland looking one) instead of a stunning Arab actress like Nadine Njeim? And shame on you, Gal Gadot. Your country steals Arab land & you’re stealing their movie roles...”
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“The cardinal and unforgivable sin of a French magazine in insulting the holy face of the Prophet once again revealed the hatred and hostility of the political and cultural institutions of the Western world against Islam and the Muslim community.”
The French magazine has aimed its cartoon satire at other faiths as well, and past Western leaders have scolded it for going too far. -
“Our church took every preventive measure, but the (Moon) administration spread the coronavirus to prevent me from attending this rally.”
There is no evidence to suggest the Moon administration had a hand in spreading the virus among churchgoers – if anything, it has tried to contain the sickness. -
"The male figure in a South Korean statue dedicated to WWII “comfort women” is Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe."
The male figure represents “anyone who feels bad about what the comfort women went through,” not Abe. -
“Eid Mubarak to all celebrating Eid-Al-Adha today. It’s the second Eid under the pandemic. Stay safe & keep well.”
In China’s campaign to control ethnic Uighurs and other Muslim groups, celebrating holidays and wearing traditional head coverings can lead to detention. -
“There is no such concentration camp in Xinjiang … People in Xinjiang enjoy a happy life. China is strongly opposed to any torture, persecution and discrimination of people of any ethnic group.”
The United Nations said China may have arbitrarily detained up to 1.5 million Uighur Muslims under vague terrorism laws. -
“Azerbaijan has threatened to bomb the nuclear power plant in Armenia.”
Azerbaijan’s military did state that it would attack the Metsamor nuclear plant – but only in retaliation for an Armenian attack on its gas and oil facilities. -
“With the termination of its status as a museum, entrance to the Hagia Sophia will be free of charge. Like all our mosques, the doors of the Hagia Sophia will be wide open to all – locals or foreigners, Muslims or non-Muslims.”
Turkey’s plans for Hagia Sophia do not include sharing it with Christians for worship ceremonies. Non-Muslims will only be allowed in as tourists. -
“For centuries, Syria has been a country where various ethnic and religious groups peacefully coexisted and safely coexisted ... This cannot but cause respect. We are convinced that such historical traditions should be fully preserved and continued.”
The Assad regime in Syria has relied heavily on religious sectarianism since seizing power in a 1970 coup d’etat. Ethnic minorities also have been systematically disenfranchised. -
“In Russia, there has not been, is not, and will not be anything that is associated with restrictions on rights based on race, sexual orientation, nationality, or any religious grounds. This has never happened in Russia and never will.”
Under Vladimir Putin, Russia has changed its criminal code to allow targeting and prosecuting minorities and amended the constitution to outlaw gay marriage.