Daily Times

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s views about Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) came during his annual press conference which he stressed on the importance of “artistic freedom without hindrance to religious freedom”, Russian News Agency TASS reported on Thursday.

Putin has said that Insulting Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) does not count as freedom of expression. Insults to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) are a “violation of religious freedom and the violation of the sacred feelings of people who profess Islam,” Putin said. The Russian president also expressed his disapproval of websites posting photos of Nazis.

TASS, quoting Putin, said that such acts “give rise to extremist reprisals”, an example of which is the attack on the office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris after it published blasphemous cartoons of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Putin praised artistic freedom in general, but warned that it is one that has its limits and must never infringe on other freedoms.

The Russian president, according to the publication, said his country has “evolved as a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state”, adding that its people “are used to respecting each other’s traditions”.

Such respect is not found in the same measure in some other countries, Putin remarked.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has appreciated Russian President Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks against Islamophobia, saying that the latter’s statement reaffirmed his stance that “insulting our Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not freedom of expression”.

“I welcome President Putin’s statement which reaffirms my message that insulting our Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not freedom of expression,” the premier wrote on his official Twitter handle.