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Russian watchdog warns media against publishing faith-insulting cartoons

The rwatchdog said that an RBC article has placed a picture insulting the faith of Muslims and inciting religious hatred

MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. Russian media watchdog Roscomnadzor has warned the RBC media group and other online news organizations against publishing cartoons on religious topics.

The regulatory authority said that an RBC article has placed a picture insulting the faith of Muslims and inciting religious hatred. Such publication was assessed a violation of law on the media and against extremism, the agency said.

On another website, Roscomnadzor also warned the Vek (Century) newspaper, the VK Press news agency, InterNovosti.Ru and Lenizdat.Ru that had added religion-insulting pictures and cartoons to coverage about the satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo. Kurier-media.ru was warned for its reference to a weekly online website where its cartoons may be found.

Last week, the agency issued warnings to the Leningrad regional news agency Lenoblinform, the RB (Russian Business) website, RuNews24 and the Republic portal for publication of religious cartoons.

Roscomnadzor earlier recommended media against publishing such pictures, saying the spread of cartoons about faith issues in the media may be regarded as insulting or humiliating for people of various religions and as inciting ethnic and religious hatred in direct violation of law, officials said.

Extremists attacked the Charlie Hebdo editorial staff in Paris early in January, killing 12 and wounding 11, mostly journalists and cartoonists. Two policemen were among the dead.