Russian president Putin says insulting Prophet Muhammad is not freedom of expression

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is not freedom of expression!

The remarks from the Russian president were shared during his annual press conference, as Putin expressed the importance of artistic freedom without hindrance to religious freedom. Russian News Agency TASS reported.

Insults to the prophet are a “violation of religious freedom and the violation of the sacred feelings of people who profess Islam,” Putin said on Thursday during his annual news conference.

Putin said these acts give rise to extremist reprisals, citing as an example the attack on the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris after it published blasphemous sketches of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Russia’s TASS news agency reported.

“In some other countries, this respect comes in short supply,” he added.

Following the Russian President’s remarks, Prime Minister Imran Khan has appreciated Putin’s statement against Islamophobia.

A message shared from PM Imran Khan’s official Twitter handle said: “I welcome President Putin’s statement which reaffirms my message that insulting our Holy Prophet PBUH is not ” freedom of expression”. We Muslims, esp Muslim leaders, must spread this message to leaders of the non-Muslim world to counter Islamophobia.“