Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr A. Gasimova / The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, harshly condemns publication of blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Muhammad by Swedish artist Lars Vilks in the Nerikes Allehanda newspaper, according to the report of OIC.
Ihsanoglu considers that to be an irresponsible and despicable act with provoking intention in the name of so called freedom of expression. "The action was intended to solely insult and arouse the sentiments of Muslims of the world," the Secretary General said.
According to him, world's community was well aware of the serious impact of such publication that was globally felt during the controversy that was created by the publication of similar cartoons by a Danish newspaper last year.
The OIC Secretary General called on the Swedish Government to take immediate punitive actions against the artist and the publishers of the cartoon and asked for their unqualified apology. In this connection, he also called on the Muslims to remain calm and to exercise restraint.