Naked Mohammed cartoons fuel French Muslim outcry

French weekly Charlie Hebdo published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed naked on Wednesday, ignoring disapproval from the government which called for “responsible behaviour”, amid growing unrest over an anti-Islamic film that has left dozens dead.

Illustrations of the Prophet Mohammed hit newsstands across France on Wednesday as weekly satirical Charlie Hebdo arrived on the shelves with controversial depictions of a naked Mohammed printed on the back page of the paper.

The magazine's editor, Stephane Charbonnier, told reporters that the pictures will "shock those who will want to be shocked."

But the French government condemned the decision to go ahead with publication amid a global uprising ignited by an anti-Islam video which ridicules the Prophet Mohammed. Dozens of people have been killed during the unrest, including the US ambassador to Libya, who was targeted at the consulate in Benghazi by suspected fundamentalists.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told FRANCE 24 on Tuesday that while he respects freedom of expression, he sees “no point in such a provocation.” Stressing that the French government would never encourage the cartoons’ publication, he called for “reason to prevail.” Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault issued a statement Tuesday saying: “In the current climate, the prime minister wishes to stress his disapproval of all excess and calls on everyone to behave responsibly.”

No backing down

It’s not the first time that Charlie Hebdo, which is celebrated for its irreverent treatment of politicians and public figures, has courted controversy with the Muslim community. In November last year the Paris offices of the paper were firebombed after it published a mocking caricature of Mohammad on its front page.

Editor Charbonnier, originally a cartoonist who uses the name Charb, told French news channel iTele on Tuesday that the paper “does caricatures of everyone, and above all every week, but when we do it with the Prophet, it’s called provocation,” adding that if Charlie Hebdo stopped printing satirical work because of pressure or fear of offence, it would be reduced to selling 16 blank pages every week.

Representations of Allah or Mohammad are considered as blasphemous to Muslims. The main Islamic body in France, the French Muslim Council (CFCM), accused Charlie Hebdo of firing up anti-Muslim sentiment at a sensitive time. “There is profound indignation at the publication of these cartoons,” leader Mohammed Moussaoui told FRANCE 24, describing the cartoons as “unjust” and “Islamophobic”. But Mouassoui also called on France’s Muslim community – which is the biggest in Europe – to “rise above their anger and not give in to the provocation”.

Pascal Boniface, who heads France’s International and Strategic Relations Institute (IRIS), tweeted on Wednesday morning that Charlie Hebdo “is not Islamophobic, but simply opportunist, cynical, and without scruples.”

But with calls already circulating on social networks and the internet for weekend protests over the US film that originally sparked unrest, concerns that the Charlie Hebdo cartoons could exacerbate the situation are mounting.

The illiterate Muslims are responsible for the continuation of all this mockery on Islam. As long as you guys kept on going on rampage whenever some misguided individuals attempt to mock the religion this act of mocking Islam will soon become a daily duty. Educate your people now make them to know that avengers belongs to God not men. My one kobo

I love this cartoonist. Why will these people tell anyone how to live or what to [quote][/quote]write in his own country where freedom of speech is guaranteed?

I would love to see the unclad pics of prophet mohammed, with his long "john thomas" the one he uses to bula la the 77 virgins. After all the pics of so call "gay jesus" has gone viral long ago, without xtians reacting violently. * pooing on the koran *.