Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that insulting Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) does not count as freedom of expression.

In a annual press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed on the importance of “artistic freedom without hindrance to religious freedom”, He further said “Insults to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) are a “violation of religious freedom and the violation of the sacred feelings of people who profess Islam.” He also expressed his disapproval of websites posting photos of Nazis.

A Russian news agency, 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.

Putin further said that his country has “evolved as a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state”, and its people “are used to respecting each other’s traditions”.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomes the statement saying that it reaffirms his own message that insulting the Holy Prophet (PBUH) cannot be considered freedom of expression. Taking to twitter he wrote, “I welcome President Putin’s statement which reaffirms my message that insulting our Holy Prophet PBUH is not “freedom of expression.” We Muslims, especially Muslim leaders, must spread this message to leaders of the non-Muslim world to counter Islamophobia.”