大象传媒

Jonathan Shapiro, the controversial South African cartoonist who goes by pen name Zapiro has told the 大象传媒 that he does not know what 鈥渟tanding by鈥� his values 鈥渨ill bring鈥� him.
Speaking about threats to his life which followed his depiction of the Prophet Muhammad more than a decade ago, Shapiro said 鈥渋t鈥檚 scary because look what happened to Salman Rushdie鈥� (referencing the attack on the author last August).
In an interview with Stephen Sackur from his Cape Town studio, Shapiro explained that his cartoons have 鈥渙utraged Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists鈥�. But he insisted that he does not 鈥渄o it as a gratuitous insult鈥�. He said that he only draws cartoons which could offend religious sensibilities 鈥渋f there is some reason that I feel that they are preventing freedom of speech, or if I feel that they are being homophobic鈥�. being politically reactionary鈥�. Such things happen in 鈥渋n all religions鈥�, he said.
In 2010, Shapiro joined other 鈥渆ditorial cartoonists around the world鈥� in depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a protest in favour of free speech. Shapiro felt that he was 鈥減art of a freedom of expression community鈥� who were 鈥渙utraged that there are religious demagogues鈥� who try to control the way 鈥渁nyone can say something鈥�.
Shapiro said he 鈥渄id expect鈥� the Prophet Muhammad cartoon to 鈥渃ause outrage and South African police subsequently told him that they had uncovered a plot to kill him.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 even know what my standing my these things will bring鈥� he said, adding that he wanted to stand by others 鈥渢rying to fight for freedom of expression鈥�.