Merkel honours Danish Muhammad cartoonist Westergaard
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, whose cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad caused anger in 2006.
A depiction of Muhammad's turban as a fused bomb sparked global outrage when it was published in Denmark.
Presenting him with a press freedom award, Mrs Merkel said Mr Westergaard was entitled to draw his caricatures.
"Europe is a place where a cartoonist is allowed to draw something like this," she said.
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Danish paper apology over cartoon
"We are talking here about the freedom of opinion and the freedom of the press," Ms Merkel said at the ceremony in the German city of Potsdam.
The offending cartoon - which led to a groundswell of Muslim anger in many countries around the world - was one of 12 first published by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in 2005.
'Place of freedom'
Mrs Merkel, who grew up in communist East Germany, added that German people clearly remembered the implications of a lack of freedom and should therefore cherish it....
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A depiction of Muhammad's turban as a fused bomb sparked global outrage when it was published in Denmark.
Presenting him with a press freedom award, Mrs Merkel said Mr Westergaard was entitled to draw his caricatures.
"Europe is a place where a cartoonist is allowed to draw something like this," she said.
German banker causes race storm
Danish paper apology over cartoon
"We are talking here about the freedom of opinion and the freedom of the press," Ms Merkel said at the ceremony in the German city of Potsdam.
The offending cartoon - which led to a groundswell of Muslim anger in many countries around the world - was one of 12 first published by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in 2005.
'Place of freedom'
Mrs Merkel, who grew up in communist East Germany, added that German people clearly remembered the implications of a lack of freedom and should therefore cherish it....