'It Is a Pity that Owners of the Resources Did Not Block the Film'

The [Russian] Prosecutor General’s Office has prepared a statement for the court to recognize the film “Innocence of Muslims” as extremist material. Senator Ruslan Gattarov previously sent the above request to prosecutors. In his view, the streaming of the film on the internet must be prohibited. Gattarov explained his initiative to host Nikita Nelubin.

An amateur film, which ridiculed the Prophet Muhammad, was posted on YouTube. In early September, it was shown on one of the Egyptian channels. After that, protests in Arab countries near embassies of the U.S., Germany and the U.K. started to escalate. The U.S. Ambassador was killed in Libya.

For what did you turn to the prosecutor’s office? Did you expect similar protests in Russia?

That is precisely the issue; I do not want similar protests to be held in the Russian Federation. That is why I waited a week for YouTube to block access to this vicious movie, but it did not happen. Today, I wrote an appropriate request to the Prosecutor General. I’m glad that the Prosecutor General’s Office has responded so quickly.

Egyptian authorities claimed that the movie is just an excuse for some radical individuals to use in their own interests. Don’t you think that the banning of the movie would fail to improve the situation?

I believe that the freedom of one person ends where the freedom of another begins — the famous Roman principle, which is very clearly reflected in our Russian Constitution. I think that it is clearly stated that the freedom of expression of citizens who practice Islam, the freedom to promote values is outlined there. This film offends many people, including in our own country. I believe that these things should not be in legal resources — I want to point out, in the legal resources of Russia.

This must be prohibited. And it is a pity that owners of the resources did not block the film. And now, when the government would ban it, it would leave holes anyway. There are people who will find a way to watch it. But search engines, used for any issues related to Islam, will not give this film, and that is very good.

Did you also turn to Google, a company which refuses to delete the movie from YouTube?

Yes.

Did they respond to your request?

Not yet. I do not have information about it. I would like it very much if Google, as the largest and most convenient video sharing operator, blocked the movie itself.