Press review: Muslim cartoon wars continue

Europe’s internal debates over the limits of free speech and ‘cartoon wars’ over caricatures of the Muslim prophet Muhammad are set to be stepped up as a French weekly publishes the images.

Fresh Muslim anger has been stirred up by Tuesday's republication of the cartoons by a French satirical weekly.

Charlie Hebdo has also stoked the flames of controversy with a front page picture of a weeping Muhammad saying “it’s to hard to be loved by fools”, Le Figaro reports.

French authorities refused to seize the print run after a Muslim group challenged publication in the courts.

Portuguese foreign minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral has attacked publication of the cartoons because it "foments religious warfare".

The UN, EU and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference has issued a joint appeal for an end to violent protests, recognising the value of free speech with the need to respect religious sensitivities.

European parliament president Josep Borrell said free speech has to respect religious boundaries, La Razon reports.

Danish publishers have pulped schoolbooks on religion carrying images of Muhammad.

Bulgarian journal Nowinar, which republished the cartoons, has apologised to the country’s Muslims.

Cartoon wars round-up

• The EU should give a "common response" to the Iranian trade ban on Denmark German CDU/CSU party deputy chairman Andreas Schockenhoff said, but counter-sanctions would not be appropriate.
• Polish prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz wrote a letter to Copenhagen saying "The EU should as soon as possible show solidarity with Denmark".
• French, UK and US leaders have telephoned Danish leader Anders Fogh Rasmussen to lend support.
• A 16-year old killer of an Italian priest in Turkey confessed he shot the cleric out of anger over the cartoons Italian media report.
• Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi has warned Italian soldiers in Afghanistan not to respond to stone throwing crowds.
• Violent protests in Afghanistan saw four more dead and 15 injured, while Danish and Norwegian embassies were set afire in Tehran.
• Iran's spiritual leader, Ajatollah Ali Chamenei said the cartoons are a Jewish plot to punish the Arab world for the victory of Hamas in the recent Palestinian elections.
• German business is worried that trade with Iran in 2006 could suffer after the country slapped an embargo on Danish goods, and with fresh calls by Iranian media agency Fars to boycott Italian goods as well.
• Acting Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrow has ordered all Danish human rights bodies to get out of the country Polish media report.
  

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