The International Free Press Society (IFPS), founded on January 1, 2009, is a creation of the Danish Free Press Society. The stated purpose of IFPS "is to defend freedom of expression wherever and by whomever it is threatened".
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The IFPS was created as an extension of Free Press Society, Denmark, created in 2004 by Lars Hedegaard, a Danish newspaper commentator. According to its own account, the Free Press Society arose because of increasing pressure on free speech, including the Danish Cartoon crisis.[1] The Free Press Society claims to be "Denmark´s biggest organisation exclusively devoted to defending the right of free expression."[2]
The Free Press Society has contact with a range of international outspoken, Islam-critical supporters of Freedom of Speech, including Ayaan Hirsi Ali,[3] Ibn Warraq, Daniel Pipes, Geert Wilders, Bruce Bawer and Henryk Broder.[4]
The Free Press Society, Denmark among others awarded Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard the Sappho Award, an award given to a 'journalist who combines excellence in his work with courage and a refusal to compromise'.[5] Another winner of the Award is Flemming Rose, culture editor of Jyllands-Posten, the Danish Newspaper that initially printed the Muhammad Cartoons.[6]
On 22 December 2009 the Chairman of the Danish Free Press Society, Lars Hedegaard, gave an interview in which he declared that Muslims "rape their own children. It is heard of all the time. Girls in Muslim families are raped by their uncles, their cousins or their fathers."[7] He also stated that "Whenever it is prudent for a Muslim to hide his true intentions by lying or making a false oath in his own or in Islam’s service, then it is ok to do it."[8]
Søren Krarup of the Danish People's Party, said that Hedegaard's remarks were justified, though they could have been more "carefully" stated. He instead blamed the controversy on a "media mafia" whom he accused of distorting Hedegaard's statements. Søren Espersen defended Hedegaard's remarks.[9][10] Others were more critical, and Hedegaard's interview led to the immediate resignation of three Free Press Society board members: Liberal Party MP Søren Pind the Conservative Party's Integration spokesman Naser Khader and the Lutheran priest Kathrine Lilleør.[11] Vicechairman in the Integration Council in Aarhus Municipality Yilmaz Evcil reported Lars Hedegaard to the police, and the public attorney chose to make a case against him for violating the Danish anti-racism laws.[12] His trial began January 24, 2011.[13] He was acquitted of all charges on January 31, 2011.[14]
According to IFPS Policy Statement, the tasks of The International Free Press Society are many and varied. Among them:
- To serve as an international advocacy group for free speech
- To serve as an umbrella organization for Free Press Societies in different nations
- To collect, analyze and disseminate critical information
- To propose and coordinate countermeasures against threats to free speech
- To advise and inspire local and national groups and organizations in their defense of free speech
- To defend individuals or organizations that are being persecuted for having stood up for free speech
- To raise money for the above causes[15]
The "Board of Directors" include Lars Hedegaard, Diana West, Paul Belien.[16] The "Board of Advisors" include Asger Aamund (da), Bat Ye'or, Andrew Bostom, Helle Merete Brix (da), Rachel Ehrenfeld, Brigitte Gabriel, Frank Gaffney, David B. Harris, Ibn Warraq, Hans Jansen, Ehsan Jami, Philippe Karsenty, Roger Kimball, Ezra Levant, Kenneth Levin, Andrew C. McCarthy, Daniel Pipes, Nidra Poller, Roger Scruton, Kathy Shaidle, Robert Spencer, Mark Steyn, Brad Thor, Bruce Thornton, Allen West, Geert Wilders, Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi.[17]
Inter Press Service noted that the IFPS has promoted Geert Wilders, a Dutch parliamentarian and controversial critic of Islam. Wilders is known for campaigning to ban the Koran, Islamic attire and Islamic schools from the Netherlands, and for proclaiming that "moderate Islam does not exist".[18]