Charlie Hebdo: Muslim media anger at new cartoon

Newspapers across the globe respond to the "survivors' edition" of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo - featuring a cartoon of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad - with a mixture of anger, concern and solidarity.

"With new cover of French paper, a new set of fears," says the New York Times on its front page, adding that there is a "dread that Charlie Hebdo may prompt further violence".

In an op-ed piece in the paper, Turkish writer Mustafa Akyol calls on the Muslim world to ease its concept of blasphemy.

"Rage is a sign of nothing but immaturity," he says. "The power of any faith comes not from its coercion of critics and dissenters. It comes from the moral integrity and the intellectual strength of its believers."

'Open crusade' - Many Muslim Middle Eastern newspapers - even moderate ones - strongly criticise the magazine's front-page cartoon of Muhammad.

Many Muslim Middle Eastern newspapers - even moderate ones - strongly criticise the magazine's front-page cartoon of Muhammad.

"Charlie Hebdo continues its provocation," reads a headline on the front page of Jordan's establishment daily Al-Dustour.

In the Algerian daily Echourouk, Habib Rashdin criticises the French government for helping to fund the new edition of Charlie Hebdo, saying this "violates all red lines, and is an open crusade against Muslims".

"It has become every Muslim's right today to file a lawsuit against the country's ambassadors over charges of 'insult and contempt for religion'," he adds.

The front page of another Algerian paper, the anti-Islamist Ennahar, features a large picture of a sign saying "Nous sommes tous…Mohamed" ("We are all Muhammad"), in a reference to the ubiquitous declarations of "Je suis Charlie".

Iran's official rolling news TV channel IRINN describes the cartoon as "an act of provocation".

Showing part of the cartoon but without Muhammad, Iran's English-language international channel Press TV warns that the cartoon "will stir up more hatred".

In Turkey, Yeni Akit - a paper that supports the Islamist governing party - launches a strongly-worded broadside against Charlie Hebdo and the West in general, under the headline "Ignominy continues".

'Racism'

"I look forward to a French law that protects people's sanctities and beliefs from attack and ridicule," Idris al-Driss writes in the Saudi daily Al-Watan.

"Freedom of expression should end at and not cross the limits of offending others over their colour, race or religion," he adds. "Insulting religions should be legally treated as racism."

In the Lebanese daily Al-Anwar, Raouf Shahouri accuses the West of double standards. Read More at "With new cover of French paper