Putin: Offending believers 'unacceptable'
Feb. 22, 2006 at 5:38AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned against insulting religious feelings and has called on government bodies to be highly responsible in such matters.

Meeting with heads of religious communities Tuesday while on a visit to Azerbaijan, Putin said, "Any insult to feelings of believers is unacceptable and illegal." The president said ill-thought words or actions may have grave consequences, ITAR-Tass reported.

The president was referring to the publication in European newspapers of cartoons depicting Mohammed, the founder of Islam, and to ensuing protests -- some of them violent -- in many parts of the Islamic world. the rest